The Kryzdal Guardian
by Keysha
Summary: The sequal to 'Lost White City'. Xema recalls bad past experiences that are now coming back to haunt her, and someone is growing jealous of Daxter's new relationship.
1. The Memory

Well, I'm finally back. Sorry for the delay folks, but hopefully things will start picking up pace now that I'm on my 3 month summer break. Anyways, here is the first chapter to my 'White City' fic. Starts off a bit strange, but I've been on a study break, so it may take me a little while to get back into my fanfic writing style again. Be aware that I've STILL trying to finish off two other fics, so they also have high priority.  
  
Gonna start this chapter with TWO dedications, although it's actually for the whole fic itself, instead of just one chapter.  
  
First of all: Phoe - Chan. A wonderful, friendly and devoted Jak and Daxter fan. Not to mention a GREAT fic writer. This girl was so supportive of my first fic, and half the reason I'm starting this sequel is because of her. Right now we are planning on doing a co-authored fic together, but for now, I'll let her have her own little space here, as one of the people this fic is dedicated to. *hugs* You go girl!  
  
And secondly: Gemma (Timonaholic). My bestest-best buddy on the net. We have a lot in common, and she always read and reviewed my last Jak and Daxter fic, even though she hadn't even played the game! You're a real pal Timon (Not to mention a REAL whiz with the laser guns! *cough* Only D-sites RPG fans will understand THAT!) *sweatdrop* err, anyways, Thankies for all your effort girl! *hugs*  
  
And so, here it is boys and girls. Chapter one of my new Jak and Daxter fic (aka - the sequel to 'Lost White City'  
  
~Keysha  
  
The Kryzdal Guardian  
  
Chapter one: The Memory  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
The young girl sighed heavily as she tried to hold back the tears. Karma, her older sister, stood beside her, making sure that the elegant clothing she wore did not crease as the little princess waited.  
  
This was the day she had been dreading. Xema had finally gotten to the age where she had to wed. It had been, of course, all pre-arranged years ago. It was her father's duty to find her a husband, and no sooner had Xema been born, then he was out and about, looking for the 'perfect' husband for her. Xema hated the idea of marrying someone she had never even met before. She felt like dirt.  
  
Karma petted her little sister's shoulder. "Come on." She insisted, as if this was all one big game to her. "Stop looking so glum! Byron will be here any minute!"  
  
'Byron'. Xema HATED that name. He was the young man she was supposed to marry, and today was the pre-wedding, the day where she actually met him for the first time. She glanced over at Karma, who stood tall and proud in her dark robes. It was easy for her; she NEVER had to marry unless she wanted too. Being the first born, she was entitled to reign over her father's city once he passed away. Yet Karma always seemed to be insistive of Xema marrying as soon as possible. It was almost as if Karma was WORRIED that Xema would take her place instead.  
  
Xema glanced up as her father strode into the room. She sighed. Maybe, if she were lucky, Byron would be a nice guy. Perhaps he would have nice blue eyes, or a handsome smile. Hopefully he would have a sense of humor. Xema loved it when people made her laugh.  
  
But no such luck. Xema felt her heart sink as Byron strode into the room behind her father. His body was a complex city of muscles - completely over the top - it was as if the guy had been living on steroids. No sign of the blue eyes either, just dark brown eyes that looked at a world that was too low class for his taste. He was supposed to be Xema's age, but he looked more like he was three or four years older. And the stern look on his face told Xema that this guy had barely ever heard of something funny in his LIFE, let alone TALKED about it.  
  
"Xema, this is Bryon." Draco, Xema's father, introduced them properly. "Bryon, this is my daughter, Xema."  
  
Bryon studied Xema, cocking an eyebrow at her small figure. "Xema?" He questioned. "Doesn't that mean 'free spirit?'" He bent down slightly so he could look into Xema's eyes. She wished he didn't.  
  
Bryon grinned, and spoke to Xema for the first time. "But that name is so UNSUITABLE for such a pretty thing like you." He intended to win Xema's respect with this, but it didn't work.  
  
"I happen to LIKE my name!" Xema shot back. Bryon reeled back in surprised, but then laughed, smoothing back his hair as he did so. Xema noticed for the first time, that it looked like the guy had an oil slick in his dark locks. 'Yuck! WAY too much gel!' She thought.  
  
"With a mouth like that, your name should mean 'talks-too-much!'" He laughed, and to Xema's shock, Karma joined him. 'Traitor!' Xema thought, as she glared at her sister, she then turned to face Bryon.  
  
"My MOTHER gave me that name!" She hissed, and Bryon responded by patting her on the head like a baby.  
  
"Oh, no points fussing over silly little things like THAT!" He insisted. "You should be HAPPY Xema. Just think, tomorrow we'll be married, and all your dreams will come true!"  
  
Xema made one of her fake little choking sounds. "What, you mean loosing my lunch when reality sets on me has always been one of my dreams?" She shot back. Bryon's mouth opened, but he could not seem to think of anything to respond with. His face reddened and he glared at the princess.  
  
"How DARE you!" He shot back, but Xema butted in.  
  
"No, how dare YOU! Coming into my life and expecting me to LIKE a self centered JERK like YOU!" Xema spun around and prepared to leave the room, but Draco grabbed her arm.  
  
"XEMA! Apologize!" He hissed, but Xema shook her head.  
  
"No father, I WON'T!" She cried, pulling out of his grip and running away as fast as she could, back to her room. As the tears flowed down her face, she changed back into her casual clothes (of which her father very much objected to, since they were so un-princess like), and then she headed for her balcony. Gazing out over the city, Xema spread her feathered wings, and glided over the city, and out of the protective dome around it, away from her home.  
  
Where was she going now? This wasn't the first time she had run away from home. She decided to head south, towards the sea. She had never seen the ocean before, and the idea of gazing out onto it took away some of the pain. Maybe things would get better when she got there. After all, ANYTHING was better than staying home and getting married to the likes of Bryon.  
  
*** END FLASHBACK ***  
  
For no apparent reason, Daxter had laid awake almost all of the night. He was just lost in thought, not to mention his bed, which surrounded him and made his lack of height even more apparent. It was comforting to hear the soft, gentle breaths beside him. Reminding him that he wasn't alone.  
  
How long had it been now? One month? Two? He had completely lost track of time. Life had defiantly changed for the little ottsel, and he couldn't have been happier. True, he DID still want to escape his ottsel form, and become the boy he once was, but one thing had happened to him, that had defiantly pushed him up a level on his 'happiness indicator', as he liked to call it.  
  
He had a girlfriend.  
  
Not just any girlfriend, a GREAT one. And he loved her. She loved him back to, perhaps that was why she had decided to hang around in an ottsel body, like him, until they could find a way to change him back.  
  
Yet Daxter knew she was living in fear. A while back, he older sister had tried to kill both her and Daxter, out of jealousy, and other matters that take a lot to explain. Karma, the offending sister, had been caught and punished (WHAT had happened to her was debatable, since no one ever wanted to talk about it), but Daxter knew she would spend every day of her life planning carefully laid plans as to how she would escape her imprisonment and kill them.  
  
The ottsel turned over and gazed at the figure beside him. He dared not touch her, incase he woke her. Xema looked like a sleeping angel to him. If only there was something he could do to reassure her that everything was okay. He knew she was troubled deep down. On her exterior, she was bright and bubbly. Friendly with everyone, and extremely loving and caring of Daxter, but until Daxter could find a way to show her that Karma would not be able to harm her, Xema would always be living her life in fear. It pained him to see her like this.  
  
The dusty-ginger ottsel stirred slightly, and Daxter held his breath, hoping she wouldn't wake up. She had barely slept these past few days, and sleep was something she very much needed. But she didn't wake; instead, she aimlessly reached out for something to cuddle up to. Daxter answered her call by crawling over to her, and she gratefully snuggled up to him, resting her head on his chest. He smiled and ran his paw through her fringe as she slept. Happy that he had her, and relieved that she had him.  
  
Daxter may have been immature at times, but his cries for attention had died down a fair bit since he met Xema.  
  
Now he had some one who took notice of him, and he loved it.  
  
***  
  
"Are you SURE he needs me?" Xema pleaded with the towering over her. The guard nodded.  
  
"I'm sorry Xema, but your father INSISTS that you return home immediately. If this doesn't get sorted out NOW, then problems will defiantly arise in the future!"  
  
Xema sighed, rubbing a paw over her aching temples. Both Jak and Daxter stood beside her, confused as to what was going on.  
  
"COME ON!" Daxter insisted. "What bizarre ROYAL matters need you to travel ALL the way back home?" Jak nodded in agreement. Xema bit her lip, wondering if she should tell them.  
  
"Well, it's like this." She started. "I have to assist my father in, well, canceling my pre-arranged marriage."  
  
Daxter's jaw dropped down an inch, as did Jak's. Both stood speechless for a moment before Daxter, as usual, broke the silence.  
  
"What! You mean YOU were meant to MARRY someone?" There was a pause. "And it WASN'T ME?"  
  
There was a chuckle heard coming from Jak as Xema nervously rubbed the back of her furry neck. "Yes Daxter, I WAS supposed to marry someone, not that I WANTED too anyway, but now that I have to take the throne after my father, I don't have to marry Byron any more."  
  
"Bryon?" Daxter echoed, before falling flat on his back and rolling about in tears of laughter. "WHAT kind of name is BRYON? His parents must have REALLY hated him!"  
  
"It's a common name around my parts." Xema replied, cocking an eyebrow. "One of my close friends happens to be called Bryon and his parents love him very much!"  
  
Daxter's laughing halted.  
  
"So?" The guard coughed, gaining everyone's attention. "Are you coming back princess?"  
  
Xema turned to Jak and Daxter. "Look, I HAVE to go back. It will only be for a few days, but you two are welcome to come if you want to."  
  
Daxter looked up at Jak, and the blonde was fully aware that the ottsel was willing to follow Xema into the jaws of death, going back to her home was no problem. On top of that, Jak knew Daxter was annoyed that some guy had even DARED taking Xema from him, even BEFORE he had met her, Daxter wanted to go back to the city and fully claim Xema to himself. And Jak didn't want to turn down the opportunity of a leisurely trip in the air, so it was agreed upon that the two would indeed accompany Xema and the guard back to the fabled white city.  
  
With all arrangements set in place, the duo bid farewell to Keira and Samos. (Well, Jak said goodbye to Samos. Daxter refused to go anywhere NEAR the old man until he apologized for turning the ottsel's tail green last week during a freak experiment gone wrong. Of course, Xema had instantly solved the problem when she discovered that Daxter could wash the green colour off with soap and water, but it meant that Daxter had to take a bath, something the ottsel truly hated, and he blamed this on Samos, therefore he refused to talk with him until he received an apology). And once they were ready, the guard picked up Jak, with Xema and Daxter seated in his shoulder pouch, spread his strong wings, and took off into the skies, heading far north, towards Xema's old home, and the place where all of her adventures had begun. 


	2. The Encounter

Woohoo! Keysha HAS emerged from her bed, and written the next chapter. I kinda hoe the length makes up for my lack of updates. I'm still trying to get my Daxter shrine sorted (very busy with about 6 other web pages I have to make as well, not to mention current ones I have to update!).  
  
Thankies to all the reviewers again by the way! I can see some old faces (or should that be usernames?) returning for a read. Great! You guys rock *hugs*  
  
Once again: The fic dedication is for Phoe-chan and Gemma. I will be reminding you all of this now and again.just to let you know how great they are. And go read their fics too people! MAJOR recommendation!  
  
Okay, time for me to shut my mouth and let chu all read! Here it is, chapter two!  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
  
The Kryzdal Guardian  
  
Chapter two: The Encounter  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
"Xema, are you sure you're okay?"  
  
The little girl nodded, tears trickling down her face. Draco simply sighed. It was tough for a seven year old, but Xema had to learn to deal with the situations life put in front of her.  
  
In this case, it was the disappearance of her pet. Kryzdal, the fluffy white Kitry. Xema felt like it was only yesterday she was holding her dear little friend close to her. Kryzdal had been a gift to her for her fifth birthday, and they had been close friends for the past few years.  
  
A Kitry, as Kryzdal is, looks like a fluffy little white kitten. Their backs are adorned with a pair of crystal-like wings, while two jewels lay embedded in their foreheads. They are extremely rare, and Xema had considered herself the luckiest girl in the world to have one as her close friend.  
  
Her best friend.  
  
Xema felt her father place a comforting hand on her shoulder.  
  
"These things happen." Draco insisted. "There's nothing we can do but accept them."  
  
There was a pause.  
  
"If you want to, I could always get you a new pet."  
  
"No. I don't want another pet." Xema whispered. "If Kryzdal had to go, then she went. But I'm not going to replace her."  
  
Draco nodded in understanding.  
  
"I just wish I knew why she left."  
  
*** END FLASHBACK ***  
  
"You know. this feels REALLY weird!"  
  
Daxter stared at Xema in utter disbelief.  
  
"W-H-A-T!" He whined, looking up at the girl before him. Draco had been unconvinced that their meeting with Bryon would go well if Xema showed up in the body of an ottsel (the arrangement was already set to be uncomfortable as it was), so he suggested Xema return to her winged, elf- like form. Just for the few days she was at home in the city.  
  
"You actually HAVE the chance to be YOU again!" Daxter growled. "Geeze, would you like to trade with ME? Oh! That's right, we CAN'T trade! Because I CAN'T change BACK!"  
  
The ottsel spun on his heels and turned his back on Xema, folding his arms and pouting. Xema smiled, and bent down so that she could look him in the eye.  
  
"Jealous?"  
  
Daxter turned around. "You don't know the HALF of it!"  
  
Xema picked him up and hugged him tight. "I'm sorry Dax. I know how much this is hurting you, but I PROMISE to change back as soon as I can." She sighed, and chucked him under the chin, knowing that he liked that. Daxter smiled, and gazed up at her lovingly.  
  
"It's just weird, you know, I've spent a month as a small furry creature, and now it feels like I've had this sudden HUGE growth spurt!" She blushed slightly. "And without the fur I feel really, well, naked."  
  
Daxter sniggered, and Xema shot him a look. "You'd better not be thinking what I THINK you're thinking!"  
  
"Baby, my mind's not THAT dirty!" He chuckled again. "But how can you feel naked if you're wearing clothes?"  
  
Xema shrugged. "I feel kind of cold in a way. I guess it's because I don't have any fur on my arms and legs anymore."  
  
Daxter sighed. "You were only an ottsel for a month, I've been one for A LOT longer. What if I can't handle, you know, turning back? Will I even be able to STAND being myself again?" Daxter felt his blood run cold, and Xema felt the little ottsel shiver in her arms.  
  
"Dax?" He looked up, and she smiled warmly at him. His shivering halted. "Don't worry, I'll always be there for you. You know I'll love you no matter WHAT you are."  
  
He grinned. "You better believe it baby!"  
  
***  
  
Jak marched his way into the main chamber, close behind Draco. Daxter rested on his shoulder, trying to get a glimpse of the boy at the end of the room. He looked to be about Jak's age, rather than his and Xema's, and Daxter could tell that he wasn't the only one who disliked this guy. Jak also seemed uneasy around the big brute. Perhaps it was because the guy was twice Jak's size, and seemed a little intimidating on the youth.  
  
Daxter pulled a face as he got a good look at Bryon fully. Xema would have to be DESPIRATE to want a guy like HIM. But then again, she had got Daxter instead. The ottsel was relieved that the princess had ended up with someone she deserved, rather than someone who looked like he needed to drop the chiseled-jaw appearance and learn to get a LIFE.  
  
"Bryon, thank you so much for coming!" Draco approached the boy, who turned and gave a cocky smile to the group.  
  
"So am I. I've been looking forward to seeing Xema for quite some time. Is she still the feisty little thing she was last time we met?"  
  
Jak could sense the ottsel on his shoulder tense with a mixture of anger and distrust. Jak looked at Daxter and gave him a warning look. He didn't want to have to deal with an outraged ottsel, and neither would Xema when she had to meet Bryon.  
  
"Well." Bryon cried, slapping his hands together. "Let's get this show on the road shall we? May I now ask, WHY I'm here? Don't tell me Xema has FINALLY come to her senses and realizes I'm the only man for her!"  
  
Daxter growled. "Who said she wanted a MAN?" The furball grumbled.  
  
"Well, I can see that SOME of us haven't changed since our last meeting." Xema scoffed, entering the room and shooting Bryon a look of poison. She walked over to Jak and stood beside him, and it was only now that Bryon noticed the boy.  
  
"And WHO are YOU?" Bryon questioned, eyeing the wingless boy with keen interest. He didn't even notice the furry creature on the boys shoulder. That is, until it spoke.  
  
"HE is Jak." The creature commented, glaring at Bryon. The boy seemed surprised by Daxter's statement, wheeling back slightly.  
  
"You TALKED?" He gasped. Daxter grinned.  
  
"Yeah, guess it must be pretty embarrassing huh? Knowing that someone as small as me is higher up on the evolution scale than you'll ever be?"  
  
Xema stifled a laugh, trying to keep the situation as serious as possible, although she DID enjoy listening to Daxter mock Bryon. Draco sighed.  
  
"Bryon, the reason we asked you to come today was to inform you - that Xema isn't going to marry you anymore."  
  
Bryon laughed, but the serious look on everyone's faces told him that it was no joke. He scowled. "But WHY?" He questioned, trying to ignore the sniggering sounds coming from the boy and his ottsel over in the corner.  
  
"Well." Draco cleared his vocal cords. "Karma has stepped down from taking the throne because of --- circumstances. Xema is taking her place, which means she no longer needs a suitor."  
  
Bryon gritted his teeth and glanced over at Xema, who grinned girlishly and waved at him. "This is NOT acceptable." He growled at Draco. "What will happen to your family BLOODLINE if she fails to find a suitor." He shot Draco a cocky glance. "An ACCEPTABLE suitor at that!"  
  
Xema pouted. "I happen to HAVE a boyfriend, and if you don't mind me saying - which I will anyway because I don't give a lurker rat's arse what you think - he's a much more suitable boyfriend then you ever have or ever will be!"  
  
Daxter looked down at Jak at gave him a rather large grin. Jak just rolled his eyes while his little friend bathed in his glory that was spewing out of his girlfriend's lips.  
  
"Who? Who DARES to even THINK he's suitable for you?" Bryon asked. Xema just smiled and turned on her heels. Bryon felt red tint his cheeks. He was NOT going to stand here and let Xema insult him like this.  
  
"You tell more or I'll--"  
  
"Or you'll WHAT?" Daxter asked, hopping off of Jak's shoulder and standing in Bryon's path. The idea of Bryon getting anywhere near Xema not only angered the little fuzz ball. It really creeped him out.  
  
Bryon cocked an eyebrow at the ottsel in front of him. "How unusual for a fuzzy creature to talk. Particularly one as rare as an ottsel." He bent down to get a closer look at Daxter. "Pity." He scoffed. "Nothing it says really sounds like it's worth listening too. And it's ugly as heck."  
  
Daxter felt his cheeks grow hot, and when he glanced up at Xema, she too had a rather angry look on her face. "How DARE you!" She spat at Bryon.  
  
"What?" The boy crowed. "It's just a little dumb animal, I bet it doesn't even understand me!" To prove his point, he reached out his hand and heavily patted Daxter on the head. This was all the ottsel could take. It was one thing to call him ugly, when of all things that's what he WASN'T, and it was another thing to call him dumb. But when someone treated him like a pet--- THAT was pushing it too far!"  
  
Daxter responded to the treatment by promptly biting Bryon on the wrist.  
  
The events that followed afterwards were very hectic, to say the least.  
  
"Why you little MONSTER! I'll have you shot and STUFFED!" Bryon made a grab for Daxter, and in his defense, the ottsel did the only thing he could, which was use his small size as an advantage.  
  
The furball ran up Bryon's arm and disappeared through his sleeve.  
  
Jak and Xema gasped in shock. What on earth was Daxter thinking? Bryon, on the other hand, was trying his best to keep a straight face. They could see a lump in his clothing moving around his chest and stomach. The look of pain on Bryon's face told the two of them that he was in serious pain. Daxter's claws must have been digging into his skin as he made circuits around Bryon's body.  
  
"Should I put a stop to this?" Draco whispered to Xema. She glanced up as Bryon tried to punch the furball in his clothing, but at the last minute, the ottsel moved and Bryon only ended up hitting himself in the stomach and winding himself. Xema smirked.  
  
"Just a few more minutes." She insisted, smiling inwardly at Daxter's courage and Bryon's stupidity.  
  
"Hey! Get OUT of there you little RUNT!" Bryon growled. By now even the guards were laughing at him, as he tried to catch the ottsel scampering inside one of his trouser legs - like a ferret in someone's pants. Jak shook his head.  
  
"Dax is pushing it venturing down THERE." He mumbled to Xema, but he smiled. "You know, I never knew Daxter had it in him, using his size to his advantage."  
  
Xema looked up at Jak and smiled. "Impressed?" She asked. He nodded.  
  
Meanwhile, Daxter was making his way up, around the back of Bryon's shirt. The youth tried to slap at him, but once again took the full impact of the blow. Seizing the moment, Daxter crawled out of Bryon's collar, but made sure to give him a deep bite on the ear, before springing away and landing in the safety of Xema's arms.  
  
He shook himself off, and looked up at Xema and Jak, a horrified look plastered on his face. "Don't you tell ANYONE where I've been!" He half yelled, half pleaded. Xema and Jak laughed.  
  
"Okay, that's enough!" Draco insisted, wiping a tear from his eye as the battered and bruised Bryon stood up. "It's a good thing Xema didn't end up marrying you Bryon. You can't even stand up to fighting a tiny little ottsel!"  
  
Bryon fumed as Daxter relaxed in Xema's arms, humming to himself. "It was a disadvantaged fight!" Bryon growled. Draco just sighed.  
  
"Guards?" The king called. "Remove this boy from the chamber. Take him to the edge of the city, and make sure he doesn't return. I wish to have a private word with Xema and her friends."  
  
The guards did as they were instructed, escorting the kicking and growling Bryon out through the doors. The youth had just enough time to turn around and send a look towards Xema and Daxter, that was so full of hatred the ottsel felt his blood run cold.  
  
"That did NOT go according to plan." Draco huffed, giving Daxter a glance. "I'm impressed that you were able to stand up for yourself, giving you disadvantage of height, strength and sensible thinking." Daxter folded his arms and sulked as his girlfriend's father mentally abused him. "However, I was hoping that Bryon would leave here without too much hate in his heart." Draco sighed. "Xema, I don't think we've seen the last of Bryon just yet. If he ever found out about your relationship between you and Daxter." He tailed off, and Xema sighed.  
  
"I know father. I know. But the jerk HAS to get used to the fact that I'm with Daxter, NOT him!" The ottsel nodded.  
  
"Yeah! Can't the guy TAKE a hint?" Draco smiled at the orange fuzz ball.  
  
"Apparently not Daxter. Which is why I feel it's best if Xema stays the way she is until we finally have this whole situation taken care of." Xema gaped, and opened her mouth to protest, but her father silenced her. "Xema, Bryon has it in for you. If you were a tiny ottsel, you would be even easier prey to him then you already are!"  
  
Xema fumed at her father. She was NOT easy prey! Daxter didn't agree either, hopping out of Xema's arms and onto the table; the ottsel began to perform a number of high kicks and punches into thin air.  
  
"Hey, you saw what I did to that overgrown meathead just before? I can take him on!" Daxter tried punching the air again, but this time slipped over and fell into Xema's waiting hands.  
  
"Admit it Daxter." Xema asked him, looking down at the furball she had just rescued. "You'd just go to Jak for help if Bryon ever showed up again wouldn't you?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"And your point is?" Daxter smirked, as the room sniggered at the little ottsels 'bravery'.  
  
Xema sighed. "Alright father. But only for a few more days, until this problem is taken care of?" Draco nodded.  
  
"Only for a few more days." He insisted. 


	3. The Reunion

Oh, good lordy - I updated!  
  
I don't have much to say, other than I'm hard at work with several different things at the moment. Please bear with me as I try to update this fic and do about 70 other things at once! :p  
  
Anyhow, thanks again for all of the wonderful reviews all! Wow! 16 reviews for just 2 chapters? I must be loved! *hugs all her reviewers* Thank you all! I try my best to entertain you! Keep them up.  
  
Wow, looks like I'm gonna be doing only a quick Author's note today. Here folks, is your next chapter.  
  
Oh, and btw - my Daxter shrine is OPEN and growing! Log onto: www.geocities.com/ottzel  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
  
The Kryzdal Guardian  
  
Chapter three: The Reunion  
  
***  
  
"WHAT is THAT?" Daxter asked, pointing to a picture beside Xema's bed. She smiled as she gazed down to the foot of the bed. Jak and flopped down, and upon touching the soft duvet, had instantly fallen asleep. Daxter snapped his fingers.  
  
"Huh?" Xema asked, falling out of her daydream.  
  
Daxter pointed to the picture again. "What in the wild world of Flut-Flut racing is THAT thing?"  
  
Xema sighed as she picked up the picture. "That's Kryzdal. She used to be my pet, until she ran away."  
  
Daxter looked up at Xema, who had grown incredibly sad. 'It must be a tough subject to talk about', he decided. "Hey! I'm here!" He insisted, crawling into her arms, and nuzzling his soft fur against her arms. She smiled and stroked his fur kindly.  
  
"I know Dax, but I can hardly call you a PET now, can I?" He grinned.  
  
"You're the only person who's ALLOWED to say it! Anyone else will end up with claw marks all over their face."  
  
Xema laughed. "Yes, I can see that happening." She glanced up at the picture again and sighed. "Still, I just wish I knew WHY she ran away."  
  
Daxter felt his ears droop in depression. He hated seeing Xema sad. He cleared his throat, trying to think of a way to change the subject.  
  
"Look, while Jak-boy-Blondie is snoozing over there, how about we go and take a cruise around the city huh? It's been some time since you used those wings of yours huh?"  
  
Xema glanced over her shoulder. The month of being in ottsel form had given her wings plenty of time to heal. Now all of the feathers had grown back, and they looked as good as new. She shrugged.  
  
"Yeah, why not. I could finally have a go at doing that triple loop in midair!" She sprang to her feet and grabbed Daxter as she made for the balcony.  
  
"TRIPLE LOOP?" The ottsel repeated, gulping. "Hey Xema? Maybe you might like to do this alone huh? Give yourself more space?"  
  
But in a second, the two of them were zooming in the air, with Daxter's yells echoing around the cities walls as Xema stretched her wings again for the very first time.  
  
***  
  
Meanwhile, outside the city walls, Bryon growled as he soared away from Xema's home. He had NEVER, in his life, been SO humiliated and insulted. Xema was one of the most spoilt, selfish little girls he had ever met. And for that, he wanted her more than ever. She was the unobtainable prize that he sought after.  
  
Hissing to himself, the youth noticed a flash of white whiz below him and through a gap in the city's wall. Bryon cursed the small creature. If only HE had the ability to sneak about like that.  
  
Turning away from the city, he headed further North, towards a desolate wasteland. He had a friend waiting there for him. She may have a way to help him enter the city unnoticed, and claim back the girl that was once his bride-to-be.  
  
***  
  
"Daxter?" Xema giggled. "You look a little green around the gills?"  
  
"Funny." Daxter panted, kneeling on the ground and taking deep gasps. "I didn't think I HAD gills!"  
  
Xema smiled and rubbed his back, trying to help the ottsel regain some of the colour in his face. Perhaps she HAD gone overboard with her aerial assaults, but it HAD been good to stretch her wings. "Any better?" She asked the ottsel, who looked up at her and smiled weakly.  
  
"I, I - need to buy a new stomach." He announced, before collapsing in her arms as a sweaty tangle of limbs - tail, arms and legs. Xema sighed, and scooped the furball up into her arms.  
  
"Poor Daxter." She admitted, nuzzling her cheek against the ottsel's.  
  
"Xema?"  
  
The girl whipped around upon hearing the harsh, dry voice. There was no one about.  
  
"Who's there?" Xema questioned angrily, standing up. "Jak, if this is your idea of a joke, you'd better confess now, or I'm gonna KILL you!"  
  
"Jak?" The voice echoed. As if the name was unfamiliar.  
  
Just in front of Xema, a small patch of garden bush parted, and a small weary creature padded into view.  
  
Xema gasped as it looked up at her and smiled weakly. It had defiantly been in the wars. Its white fur was mangled and stained with blood and dirt, and its fiber-like wings were torn.  
  
"Kryzdal?" Xema gasped, gaping at the creature. Daxter, who had now quickly recovered from his airsickness, peeked over Xema's arm at the bizarre and injured creature.  
  
"Xema." Kryzdal repeated again, as if to reassure herself that it was her. Then her legs gave way underneath her, and Kryzdal fell to the ground, unconscious.  
  
***  
  
"So, you've FINALLY decided to make an appearance. I knew you'd come to see me - sooner or later!"  
  
Bryon glared at the shadowy figure before him. Her form was hidden underneath a weathered silvery-black cloak, but Bryon had no doubt as to whom it was.  
  
"I see they didn't take the liberty of killing you after all Karma." He said coldly. The figure stood still for a moment, and a hand reached up, pulling away the cloak's hood. Karma looked down upon Bryon, he blue eyes flashing a sense of malice.  
  
"No. They are fools. We both know this. I assume they've told you that Xema will no longer wed?"  
  
Bryon nodded.  
  
"I don't suppose they told you WHY?" Karma's lips curled into an evil grin.  
  
Bryon looked at her suspiciously. Was this a trick?  
  
"They told me she was taking your father's place once he died.she no longer needed to marry."  
  
Karma laughed.  
  
"Is that ALL? They didn't tell you anything about how she's IN LOVE with someone else?"  
  
Bryon felt his knuckles clench. He was close to bruising himself. "NO." He gritted through his teeth.  
  
Karma smiled wickedly. "You noticed that bizarre, orange creature the wing- less boy had on him? That creature happened to be another wing-less boy a few years ago." She looked out into the distance. She could just make out the tops of the White City's towers. "But let's skip the details, shall we?" She turned back to Bryon, who looked even more angered, if possible, than before. "Would it displease you, Bryon, if I told you that Xema favored that ottsel over you?"  
  
Bryon felt his voice thicken with anger as he replied.  
  
"Your, you're LYING!"  
  
Karma tisked him, swaying her finger back and forward.  
  
"Come now my SWEET Bryon!" Karma walked over to him and placed a finger under his chin, raising his eyesight to hers. "WHY would I lie to you about something like THAT? Did you not NOTICE a connection between my vile little sister and that annoying little rodent?"  
  
Bryon recalled his final meeting with Xema and her father. He HAD noticed a strange relationship between Xema and the orange creature. He hissed words of spite as he remembered how the creature had managed to defeat him physically. He rubbed a swollen scratch on his left arm as Karma slipped an arm around his shoulder.  
  
Bryon, trust me. If you and I BOTH work together, then we can BOTH get what we want.  
  
Bryon let the young woman lead him away from their meeting spot. As they walked, he caught a glimpse of the tattered stumps that were once Karma's wings. A painful reminder of what happened to those who betrayed Draco and his family.  
  
***  
  
"Xema, I can't begin to tell you how glad I am to see you again!" Kryzdal lay sprawled across Xema's lap as the girl gently sew at the rips in the Kitry's wings. She hushed Kryzdal gently, and pet her fur. She had now been cleaned up, not to mention her wounds were cleansed. And with the aid of green eco, they would soon be nothing but a distant memory.  
  
Beside Xema, Jak and Daxter watched the bizarre creature. Jak once though Daxter was the strangest animal around, but now looking at this 'past' pet of Xema's, he was beginning to think otherwise.  
  
Kryzdal glanced up at the two boys, and cocked her head to the side slightly. "Xema, who ARE these two?" She smiled and Jak. "Is he your BOYFRIEND?"  
  
Both Jak and Xema broke into a deep blush, where as Daxter made a bizarre little coughing sound.  
  
"No, no, NO Kryzdal!" Xema gaped. "Jak's just one of my close friends, and besides." She looked up at Jak and smiled kindly. "He's already taken."  
  
"Oh." Kryzdal sighed, looking up at Jak. "What a shame. He's so handsome too!"  
  
Picking herself out of Xema's lap, the white Kitry padded over to Daxter, and looked up into his large, blue eyes.  
  
"And who's THIS?" She enquired, bringing her face so close to Daxter's that he began to feel incredibly uncomfortable.  
  
"I'm Daxter." The ottsel insisted, and Kryzdal's expression was one of shock rather than understanding.  
  
"Oh, you talk?"  
  
Daxter pulled a face. "Of COURSE I talk!" He bragged, rolling his eyes for emphasis. Kryzdal just shook her head. This 'pet' of Jak's, was turning out to be to rude for his own good. Turning around with elegant grace, Kryzdal padded back to Xema, and lay down on the soft quilt beside her. Xema petted the creature's fur kindly.  
  
"Kryzdal, why did you leave?"  
  
The Kitry shook her head slowly. "Things like that are not to be talked about at the moment Xema. I will talk to you about it later, when I am sure we're in the company of friendly ears."  
  
The white creature shot a look towards Jak and the ottsel, and the two immidatly understood. Kryzdal did not trust them.  
  
"Kryzdal, you CAN trust jak and Daxter, belive me! I would!" Xema smiled at the two, but Kryzdal just frowned and lay her head upon the quilt.  
  
"Maybe YOU can Xema, but at the moment, I CAN'T."  
  
Xema sighed, and stood up. "Well, it's best if we let you get your rest Kryzdal. You look like you've been in the wars." As she walked away, Xema could faintly hear the Kitry murmer: 'I have.'  
  
Outside her room, Xema left the door open slightly, giving Kryzdal the option to oleave the room if she pleased. She turned towards Jak and Daxter, Daxter resting on Jak's shoulder plate, his arms crossed and a VERY angry look upon his face.  
  
"I DON'T like her!" He grumbled, sticking his tongue out towards the kitar who lay on Xema's bed. The princess just smiled.  
  
"Give her time Daxter, she has trouble learning to trust people."  
  
"What? How can anyone NOT trust me?" Daxter asked, receiving the sound of Jak clearing his throat and cocking a look at him to symbolize how he felt about THAT.  
  
"Okay, so I AM a weasel at times, but hey - I've got an excuse, I AM part weasel after all!"  
  
Xema laughed, and delicately picked Daxter off of Jak's shoulder, cradling him gently in her arms. "That's the OLDEST excuse in the book Dax!" She giggled. Daxter just moaned and nuzzled into her embrace, while Jak looked on and suddenly wished he had Keira here with him.  
  
***  
  
Inside Xema's room, Kryzdal watched the company chat away. She felt a large twinge of jealousy fall upon her when she saw Xema embrace Daxter so lovingly. It was the same way Xema used to treat her all those years ago. Could Xema have possibly found a replacement?  
  
Kryzdal's eyes narrowed as she watched the ottsel kiss Xema lightly on the cheek. By her standards, that was taking things too far. A relationship between a girl and an animal could only go so far before it was considered 'un-natural'.  
  
Kryzdal buried her face in her paws. Tomorrow, she would go and talk to this 'Daxter', and let him know his place in Xema's life. He was a furball, after all, not a humanoid.  
  
And if he rejected her counseling, she would have to deal with him in a more violent manner. 


	4. The Explanation

A/N: Finally got around to writing this (I was sick last week, and I had my Nan visiting from England this week), so unfortunately, I had very little time - and inspiration - to type.  
  
I'm not sure how long until the next chapter is up. Mainly because I've PROMISED myself that I'm going to write the final chapter to my Lilo and Stitch fic, and finally get that out of the way. That said, I'm also working on my follow-up to my first LOTR alternative script, this time based on TTT. I know a lot of my reviewers for my Jak and Daxter fics read that script, so look out for the new one - half of the first chapter is already done - I'm SLOWLY getting there!  
  
Thank you to ALL who reviewed! *hands them all plushies* Keep them coming, especially the theories, which I LOVE to read ;) (Tis fun and interesting to see people twisting their minds as they try to think about what I'm gonna do next! :p)  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
  
Chapter four: The Explanation  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
"So, do you like her?" Karma gently touched Xema's shoulder, and the little girl nodded happily in approval as she stroked the Kitry's snow- white fur.  
  
"She's BEA-UTIFUL Karma!" Xema insisted, snuggling a cheek up to the Kitry's. The winged cat smiled warmly and purred in pure bliss.  
  
"I thought you might need some company, seen as how mum's gone and all." Karma confessed, then she cringed, wishing she hadn't mentioned that. Xema's head sank and she tried to push back the tears.  
  
"Karma? What happened to her?"  
  
"I honestly don't know. We think she may have fallen." Karma insisted. In all honesty, she KNEW what had happened to their mother, but she dared not tell her little sister, for fear of upsetting, or perhaps even scaring her. The Kitry sensed the little girl's depression, and with a quick lick of the tongue on her little rosy cheek, the girl's sad face began to fade.  
  
"She's SO lovely!" Xema giggled, cuddling the Kitry close to her.  
  
"So, what are you going to call her?" Karma asked. Xema looked up at her older sister and smiled.  
  
"Kryzdal. Same as mum."  
  
Karma nodded. She had a feeling Xema would want to call her that.  
  
"Good choice little sis!" She smiled, stroking her baby sister's hair as the little girl did to the Kitry's in return.  
  
*** END FLASHBACK ***  
  
"Father? How much LONGER do I have to hang around here?" Xema groaned, looking up at Draco pleadingly. He sighed.  
  
"Look Xema, I KNOW you hate being, well, cooped up like this, but it IS for your protection!"  
  
"Protection from WHAT? And PLEASE don't say Bryon!" Xema growled.  
  
"Who's Draco?"  
  
Xema caught a glimpse of Kryzdal padding her way into the room. She sighed heavily.  
  
"Some jerk who I was once pre-engaged too."  
  
Kryzdal turned a sharp look towards Draco. "She was to WED?"  
  
Draco cringed at the little creature's glare.  
  
"It's ALL changed now!" He insisted. "But in any case, I want to keep Xema here until we KNOW that he isn't going to try anything stupid around her."  
  
Xema clenched her fists. "You treat me like a defenseless BABY! I'll be fine! Just let me go back to Sandover with the boys! Bryon won't even KNOW I'm there!"  
  
"Sandover? I AM coming too aren't I?" Kryzdal asked, the look of shock on Xema's face informed her that it was something the girl had not even been considering.  
  
"Er, of course you can Kryzdal. If you want to." Xema rubbed the back of her neck nervously.  
  
"Uh-huh." Kryzdal replied, rather heavy-hearted. "Boys? Who might they be?"  
  
"Jak and Daxter." Xema responded.  
  
"You called DAXTER a boy too?" Kryzdal cocked an eyebrow at the princess.  
  
"Sure, I wouldn't ever think of calling him anything else."  
  
***  
  
Daxter was well unaware of how rudely he would be woken up that morning. Jak was always up before him, and had obviously gone to explore the city some more, without the talking furball; he was less likely to get distracted. Not that Daxter minded. The idea of having a long lie-in appealed to him.  
  
Unfortunately, this was not one of those days where he would have that opportunity.  
  
"Hey!" an irritated voiced hissed in the sleeping ottsel's ear. His eyes flew open, and he caught a glimpse of two large, rather angry blue eyes staring at him.  
  
"Agh!" He yelped, uncurling from his sleeping position and sitting up dead straight. Kryzdal smiled inwardly as she sat down next to the shocked creature.  
  
"Okay, WHAT on earth was THAT for?" He growled. Kryzdal rolled her eyes.  
  
"Well, I DID try to politely ask you to wake up. THREE times in fact, but you didn't hear me. I'm not surprised anyway, over your loud snoring, I could barely hear myself THINK!"  
  
Daxter narrowed his eyes at her. "So you came to wake me up because I was too loud?"  
  
Kryzdal shook her head. "Oh NO. I have something I need to say." It then became her turn to narrow her eyes. "I noticed, that you and Xema have quite a close little friendship."  
  
Daxter yawed, and nodded slightly, barely putting in an effort to keep his eyes open. He was too sleepy to disagree with Kryzdal. Not that there WAS anything to disagree with anyway. They DID have a close friendship; there was no denying that.  
  
"Yeah, so? There's nothing wrong with that!" Daxter yawed again. Kryzdal glared.  
  
"Actually, there IS something wrong with that!" She pointed a furry, white paw at the furball. "Incase you haven't noticed Ottsel, you aren't exactly a humanoid are you? Take away your gift of speech, and all you have left is a fuzzy ball of orange fluff!"  
  
Daxter cocked an eyebrow at Kryzdal. "Let me guess, you're assuming I really AM an ottsel?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Is this an interrogation?"  
  
Kryzdal growled.  
  
"You have no business acting in the manner in which you do around my Xema."  
  
"YOUR Xema?" Daxter coughed. "Incase you haven't noticed, Xema HATES people treating her as an object, just as much as I hate people treating me like an animal."  
  
"But you ARE an animal!"  
  
"Err, actually, I'm NOT! Not really anyway!"  
  
There was a brief moment of silence. Kryzdal hated being wrong, but she knew when she had been beat.  
  
"How?" She whispered.  
  
Daxter sighed heavily. "Dark Eco, need I say more?"  
  
The Kitry shook her head slowly. "No, I understand."  
  
A pause.  
  
"Daxter? I'm sorry. You must understand, it was my job to protect Xema from the day we first met." She looked up at the ottsel, who had now lost all traces of sleepiness from his eyes. "You like her, don't you?"  
  
Daxter grinned and nodded. "Yeah, we kind of have a thing for each other."  
  
Kryzdal smiled. "She always DID like the loudmouths."  
  
Daxter coughed. "Loudmouth? Who are you calling LOUDMOUTH?" He pouted while the furry cat chuckled.  
  
"Say Kryzdal? How come you can talk? Is it some kind of special power Kitry's have?"  
  
Kryzdal sighed. "I guess you could say that. You and are quite a-like Daxter."  
  
There was a confused look splayed across the ottsel's face. "What's THAT supposed to mean?"  
  
Kryzdal shook her head. "Nothing, just forget it. I'll let you get back to sleep now!"  
  
And with that, the Kitry left, leaving only a confused ottsel with many questions to sit and ponder alone in the dimly lit room.  
  
***  
  
"Okay, first you hated the fur, then you missed it, now you hate it again?" Jak bent down and examined the ottsel standing beside him. "Xema, I'm NEVER going to understand you? Am I?"  
  
The ginger ottsel giggled. "Probably not Jak!" She grinned up at the blonde, then up at Draco, who stood beside him. "Father, I'll be fine, REALLY!"  
  
Draco sighed. "I STILL don't like the idea of you going back Xema. What id BRYON finds out."  
  
"Bryon, shcmyron!" Daxter waved a furry paw in the air and huffed. "He's no match for me and Jak, right Jak?"  
  
The blonde simply rolled his eyes and ever so slightly nodded his head.  
  
"Besides." Xema admitted, turning her attention away from the boys and back on her father, grinning. "I've got Kryzdal on my side, and she's always looked after me!"  
  
"That's right." The white Kitry purred from her perch atop the windowsill. "I will not let any harm come to Xema or her friends."  
  
"Not that I'm against having a pedigree cat protect me or anything." Daxter sniggered. "But WHAT exactly can a little Kitry like you do to protect us?"  
  
The Kitry ceased her purring, and grinned at Daxter - making him feel rather nervous.  
  
"Oh I've got my WAYS!" She cooed.  
  
Xema just rolled her eyes at her pet's teasing. That was very typical of her.  
  
"Right then, let's go. No use hanging around here making idel chatter!" Daxter laughed nervously, scampering up onto the safety of Jak's shoulder. The sooner we go, the better!  
  
Xema sighed, and nodded her head in agreement.  
  
She couldn't agree more. 


	5. The Past

*Looks around* Hello? Anyone remember me?  
  
Agh! I am SO missing this place it's not FUNNY! Collage is becoming really tiring. Good news is I only have 7-8 weeks of it left till I'm back home and writing again! In the mean time, this chapter got written at random times during my course. Hey, Design takes up a lot of time! Especially that darn 2D/3D bull that I have to do but will never be using in later life!  
  
Ugh, well, anyways. I have passed all my assignments so far. Pretty good considering I have to keep up with my part-time job also. (Guess what all! I'M WORKING IN A PS2 SHOP! How cool is that? I get cheep games AND I get to take out any game I want to try! Too bad I won't be working there when Jak 2 comes out, but such is life.)  
  
ANYWAYS! I have to thank my buddy Tania for this chapter. She's letting me use her laptop to upload it. *hugs Tania* she's also in my course, and is a real pal!  
  
I am, of course, missing you all heaps. All mah readers and reviewers *Phoe-Chan! Gemma! Miss you two the most!!!!*  
  
Well, that's about enough blabber from me (Although I DO have a proposal for you Leah. I'll email you about it later if I get time though).  
  
Anyways, enjoy the chapter. More scandals and such. More guessing to do, and yes, I WILL try my best to type up the next one soon, but with lectures and all, it may not be until the start of July.  
  
~ Keysha  
  
*** Chapter five: The Past ***  
  
"You're kidding me? That THING was a boy?"  
  
Karma laughed wickedly at Bryon's shocked expression. "Had you fooled didn't he?"  
  
Bryon nodded, looking a tad embarrassed.  
  
"All this time, Xema was betraying me.she was having an affair with some boy-turned-rodent."  
  
"Don't get ahead of yourself there lover-boy. It wasn't technically an affair." Karma teased. Bryon mumbled something rude behind her back, but Karma's sharp ears picked his words up instantly. In a flash, her long dagger was an inch away from slitting his throat in two.  
  
"Don't mock me boy." She hissed, as Bryon gulped nervously. Karma grinned. "We both want revenge on my little sister, myself more than you, and we both know exactly HOW we can do it."  
  
Bryon smirked, rubbing his tongue over his teeth in deep thought. "Play with her mind. Torture her emotionally?" He grinned. "Bet that if there's one major weakness we can associate with her, it'll be that weasel."  
  
Karma nodded.  
  
"Get to the ottsel, you'll get to Xema."  
  
***  
  
"Man it feels good to be home." Daxter stretched his stiff limbs as the others breathed in the welcoming smell of the salty ocean air. Kryzdal gazed around the small village in awe.  
  
"It's so quaint." She whispered. Daxter rolled his eyes.  
  
"What is it with you people and this talk of our village being small and homely?" He moaned, and Xema swiftly jabbed him in the ribs playfully.  
  
"I think we've got a reason considering how large our home city is." She teased; Daxter blushed slightly under his fur, unaware that Kryzdal was watching their playful teasing very intensively. Too think that two people who were so completely opposite in social ranking, character and even species could become so close made her purr in delight. Her Xema had finally grown up.  
  
***  
  
"Daxter? May I have a word?"  
  
"You sure you only want one?" Daxter chuckled to himself, but quickly dropped it when he received a rather stern glance from Kryzdal. It was evening, and the ottsel was sitting outside, staring at the sea and lost in thought. That was, until Kryzdal decided to join him.  
  
"Daxter?" She sighed. "Tell me about your parents."  
  
There was a silent moment. When Kryzdal glanced up, she noticed a look of pain in the ottsel's eyes. Obviously, this was going to be a touchy subject.  
  
"Please?"  
  
Daxter sighed. It wouldn't be easy talking about his parents. It never WAS.  
  
"My father? He brought me here, to Sandover, when I was a baby. I grew up here - it's how I came to know Jak, he was brought up here too. I never really knew my father very well. He was kind of distant and never talked very much. I guess it was living with him that made me so talkative. I worked hard to make conversation with him. Sometimes I'd just talk to myself so that there was noise in the house. I don't like the quiet. It scares me. It reminds me of those times when my father wouldn't even talk to me. He always looked at me like I was different, as if there was something wrong with me - you know, like I was a freak." Daxter sighed. "He was right."  
  
Kryzdal was shocked.  
  
"Daxter, you're NOT a freak!" She insisted, placing a caring paw on his shoulder. He simply shook his head.  
  
"How can you be so sure?" He whispered. Kryzdal smiled.  
  
"Well, for one thing, you managed to woo my Xema. That would be a pretty hard task for a freak to accomplish."  
  
Daxter laughed.  
  
"Well, she always told me she liked the 'different ones'". He chuckled.  
  
"So, where's your father now?"  
  
"He died when I was just a little kid. I think it was depression. He missed my mother, and I think it hurt him that I reminded him of her so much."  
  
"She looked like you?"  
  
"Sort of. We had the same colour hair and eyes - or so I hear."  
  
"You don't remember?" Kryzdal rubbed his back kindly. Daxter shook his head.  
  
"I never knew her."  
  
Kryzdal stopped questioning him. It was becoming too painful, she could tell. She simply nuzzled his cheek, and rubbed his back some more.  
  
"Don't cry. You're fine now. You have friends and family who love you. You know that right?"  
  
Daxter nodded.  
  
"You know Kryzdal, you're very good at this mothering stuff. Do you have any - I don't know - Kittens, or whatever kind of kids you creatures have?"  
  
Kryzdal was quite taken aback, but laughed, smiled and nodded.  
  
"Yes, two in fact. Two girls."  
  
Daxter smiled. "Bet they're beautiful."  
  
"Yes, they are. But you already know, don't you Daxter?"  
  
"HUH?"  
  
"Well, don't you at least think Xema's beautiful?"  
  
The ottsel spun around faster than lightning. KRYZDAL? She was Xema's MOTHER?  
  
"Just - don't let her know. Not yet. She still has much to learn. At least I know I can watch over her when she's unaware of how close I really am."  
  
Daxter could hardly speak. Very much unlike him, that went without saying.  
  
"She thinks you're dead. Won't it be even more painful for her the longer you leave it?" Daxter thought quickly, then added: "Your highness?"  
  
Kryzdal was much taken aback. "Highness? I haven't been called that for so long!"  
  
Daxter smiled. "Yeah, well, your status DOES kind of get lowered when you become a furball."  
  
Kryzdal laughed. "Yes. That is true Daxter. Very true!"  
  
"What's true?" Xema asked, making her way towards the two.  
  
"Uh - how beautiful you look tonight!" Daxter quickly piped up, jumping up from his spot and running over to embrace her. From the corner of his eye, he could catch the look that Kryzdal was giving him.  
  
"Don't let her know. Not yet. There WILL be a time."  
  
"Just not yet."  
  
Daxter nodded in understanding, and held Xema closer, nuzzling her cheek against his.  
  
"Come on, let's go down to the beach. Chase some seagulls!"  
  
Xema laughed.  
  
"You're just a little kid at heart aren't you Daxter?" He grinned.  
  
"Yep!"  
  
Kryzdal just sat in silence, under a starry sky, recalling the past.  
  
Her time, and Daxter's, was drawing near.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
"Kryzdal? Do you know?"  
  
The young woman edged her way towards the young queen. Kryzdal smiled, and placed a hand delicately on her pregnant tummy.  
  
"Xi said it's going to be another girl!" Kryzdal squeaked in excitement. Her young friend could barley contain her joy, jumping onto the bed that her queen was relaxing on, and hugging her tightly.  
  
"That's wonderful news! To think: Two beautiful little girls!" The young woman's eyes sparkled with excitement, but Kryzdal was quick to push her down onto the bed.  
  
"Jewlii! You KNOW you're meant to take it easy! Especially seen-as you're having a baby at such a young age!"  
  
Jewlii gave a light squeal as she lay on the soft bed.  
  
"I just can't help it Kryzdal! It's so exciting! Oh, I can't WAIT until my child is born!" She gave a light giggle, and then sighed. "Are you SURE you can't ask Xi to figure out if it will be a boy or girl?"  
  
Kryzdal sighed and shook her head for the thousandth time that day.  
  
"How many times do I have to tell you Jewlii? Xi is only allowed to tell the QUEEN if her child will be a boy or girl. You'll just have to wait and find out."  
  
Jewlii screwed up her face.  
  
"That's stupid!" She mumbled, before smiling and rubbing her own pregnant tummy. "Well, I KNOW that mine's going to be a boy anyway! I don't need that stupid old Xi to tell me!"  
  
Kryzdal smiled and rolled her eyes at her ignorant friend. "How can you be so sure?"  
  
Jewlii giggled. "Because it will be PERFECT! Just think, our little boy and girl will grow up, fall in love, and get married! They'll be the most perfect couple ever!"  
  
Kryzdal sighed.  
  
"When will you learn Jewlii? Life isn't like a fairy tale! Besides, you're not SURE that your child will be a boy, are you?"  
  
Jewlii simply smiled.  
  
"Well, if it's a girl, then they'll both be best friends. They'll braid each other's hair, and go gather flowers together, just like all beautiful little girls do!"  
  
Kryzdal smiled.  
  
"And what if Xema isn't LIKE all beautiful little girls?"  
  
"Who's Xema?"  
  
Kryzdal patted her stomach.  
  
"My little girl!"  
  
Jewlii laughed. "Free-spirit? That's what the name means right? Oh Kryzdal, she'll be just like you then! All silly and crazy and acting like a Tomboy! Is that REALLY what you want your daughter to be like?"  
  
Kryzdal smiled, glanced up at her best friend, and nodded.  
  
"Yes, that's EXACTLY what I want her to be like!"  
  
*** END FLASHBACK *** 


	6. The Kidnapping

Agh, another harshly-written chappie in the attempts to keep my account 'alive' while I'm away. Thank you SO much to all the reviews. I'd try to  
write individual replies, but I just have no time on my hands nowadays.  
  
Anyway, my course has 3 weeks left till it finishes: and I should be home  
in about 4 weeks (I'm going to try and get a little snowboarding done before I fly back home, because I love it and it's kinda hard to find snow in Hong Kong. Ah, God Bless New Zealand and its glorious snowy mountains  
()  
  
Okay, so please try and bear with the pathetically short and evil little chapter (and when I say evil: I mean it could be better --- if I had more  
time to work on it).  
  
I have an announcement about my fics as well --- but I'll save that news  
for one of my later updates. Right now I've got a few assignments to finish. Oh woe is me. Three weeks left of torture with one of the world's  
evilest lecturers.  
  
Anyhow, I'll see you all again in about four weeks!  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
The Kryzdal Guardian  
  
Chapter six: The Kidnapping  
  
***  
  
"Hey, is it just me, or is there something up with Dax?"  
  
The three kids (Well, two kids and an ottsel kid) sat around the small table nodding in agreement. Jak, Keira and Xema were discussing the recent character change in their close companion.  
  
"Yeah, he HAS been acting odd lately." Keira whispered - just incase the ottsel in question happed to walk into the room. "He's been so--"  
  
"QUIET!" Jak shot in. "It's been two days since I've had to tell him to shut up!" The two girls giggled at the idea. Of course, it DID mean something. A quiet Daxter was NOT a normal Daxter.  
  
"Jak? Xema? One of you has to talk to him." Keira insisted. Jak just sighed heavily.  
  
"Already tried." He grumbled. "Yesterday, when we were on the beach. He threw a couple of stones at me and told me to 'leave him alone'". Jak rubbed at the small bruise on his arm. Daxter may have been small, but he sure could hurl the stones when he wanted to be left alone.  
  
"Maybe I should try." Xema piped in. "After all, I highly DOUBT Daxter will throw anything at me. And if he DID--". Xema punched one of her clenched up paws into an open palm. Jak and Keira winced.  
  
"Ouch! Bet he'll be sore for a week!" Keira laughed nervously.  
  
Xema looked up.  
  
"Who said anything about HURTING him? I'd just nag him for a week, and when I finally get his attention, give him another week of the silent treatment!"  
  
Jak groaned as Xema and Keira laughed together. "Women!" He grumbled, making his way towards the door to get as far away from their laughter as possible.  
  
*** FLASHBACK ***  
  
"How long has it been going for?"  
  
"A few hours now your highness! Xi believes she may give birth any minute!"  
  
Kryzdal raced down the corridor as fast as she could. Word had spread to her that Jewlii had been in labor for quite a while. Kryzdal had made a promise to be there with her when her child arrived into the world - and Kryzdal always kept her word.  
  
"Queen Kryzdal! Please slow down! Your baby!"  
  
Kryzdal ignored the young woman behind her. What did she know? This was a matter of life and death!  
  
"Kryzdal?"  
  
Jewlii was in a terrible state. Sweat was pouring down her face, and she looked like she was going to faint from the pain. Kryzdal held out her slender, cool hand to the young girl, and Jewlii grasped it tightly in her sweaty palm.  
  
"Kryzdal! It hurts! I can't do it!"  
  
"Shhh." Kryzdal brushed Jewlii's hair out of her eyes. "You're doing great Jewlii! It will all be over soon!"  
  
***  
  
"Queen Kryzdal? You should come look at this."  
  
Kryzdal looked up at Xi. He was carefully wrapping up the young child in a clean blanket, a look of concern on his face. Unaware of what she was about to see, Kryzdal crept up to the elder, desperately trying to get a glimpse of the child.  
  
"Kryzdal? You KNOW what this means." Xi held the child out to Kryzdal, who gently touched the baby's forehead. Wingless. The child had no wings. The baby had the blood of a wingless person inside of it.  
  
"THIS is why she never revealed who the father was." Xi looked down and the baby, a look of disgrace on his face. "He is not one of us."  
  
"Kryzdal? What's wrong? What's wrong with my baby?"  
  
Kryzdal spun around, rushing to Jewlii's side.  
  
"Jewlii - you're child - has no wings."  
  
There was a slight pause. Tears were filling up in Jewlii's eyes. "W-what does this mean?"  
  
Xi stood up, carefully handling the baby.  
  
"He has to leave the city. You need to tell us who the father is - so that the child has someone to take care of it." Xi looked down. "I used to think highly of you Jewlii. I thought you of all people would know better than to taint blood like ours." He turned to leave, taking the child with him.  
  
"NO! Don't take my baby!" Jewlii cried, her eyes filling up with tears. She tried to stand up, but was too weak from her hours of labor. She fell back into Kryzdal's arms, watching helplessly as Xi took her child away.  
  
"Kryzdal - can't you do anything?" Jewlii wept, burring her face into the Queen's shoulder. Kryzdal felt a tear trickle down her face as she shook her head.  
  
"I wish I could." Kryzdal sighed.  
  
"I didn't even get to see my child! I don't even know what it was!" Jewlii sobbed.  
  
"It was a boy." Kryzdal whispered, rubbing Jewlii's back, trying desperately to comfort her. "It was a beautiful baby boy."  
  
*** END FLASHBACK ***  
  
"Okay, SPILL! What's WRONG?"  
  
Daxter squealed. Xema had him pinned down in the sand by his wrists and ankles, hanging over the top of him and looking him dead in the eye.  
  
"Xemie! PLEASE! I'm FINE!" He groaned, trying to wriggle free from her grasp, yet failing miserably.  
  
"BULL! Something's up! You've hardly said a word in the past few days. I figured either you have a bad throat infection or something's depressing you, so SPILL!"  
  
Daxter quickly squirmed to the left and then the right, breaking one of his paws free from her grasp, then turned the tables by flipping Xema onto her back, so that he now had her pinned down in the same manner that she had done to him only moments before.  
  
"Ha! Thought you had me for a second, DIDN'T YOU?"  
  
"Still do!" Xema grinned, squirming free from his grip and away; she dashed off across the sand, with Daxter in hot pursuit. It didn't take him long to catch up with her, and once again, the princess found herself pinned down once more.  
  
"Hey, you're not so moody NOW!" She giggled, nuzzling her check against her captors. Daxter blushed heavily under his furry face.  
  
"Yeah, you always manage to cheer me up!" Daxter released the female from his grip and invited her into his warm embrace. "You're such a sweetie, you know that Xema?"  
  
The ottsel smiled, twirling the loose fur on Daxter's chest about her fingers. "I just hate seeing you depressed Dax."  
  
He smiled. "I haven't been depressed. I've just been - thinking."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Stuff."  
  
"Uh-huh." Xema kissed him on the cheek. "You know I don't deserve you Dax."  
  
He grinned. "Hey, it's not my fault I fell in love!" He grinned. "It WAS you who tripped me!"  
  
Xema gasped, trying hard not to laugh.  
  
"Daxter? That was ---TERRIBLE!"  
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
***  
  
"You know what you have to do?"  
  
Bryon nodded. Through the thicket, he could see the two ottsels, sitting on the warm sand together, in a tight embrace. It made his blood boil, seeing Xema so close to someone else. The fact that she was a small little animal did nothing except add to his anger.  
  
"Catch the rat - er, boy." He grumbled. "Wouldn't it just be easier to grab Xema while I'm at it?"  
  
Karma glared. "I want to toy with them first Bryon. Mess with their minds before I hurt them."  
  
Bryon shook his head. "You are a twisted woman Karma."  
  
She smiled. "No Bryon. I'm just a girl seeking revenge.  
  
***  
  
"Do you hear something?"  
  
Daxter pricked his ears. Far off, he could hear the faint rustling of leaves.  
  
"It's just the wind." He insisted, kissing her lightly on the cheek. "Stop worrying."  
  
"I - I can't Dax. I'm SURE something's out there."  
  
"Yeah Xema, there's LOTS of things out there! Bush, birds, ugly little animals -"  
  
Xema shook her head. Deep inside, she had a gut feeling in her stomach. An icy-cold grip that was curling around her waist. It seemed almost real. TOO real.  
  
"Got ya!"  
  
The two ottsels were torn apart by Bryon's large hands. Holding one ottsel by the waist in each fist, he grinned from ear to ear as they stared up at him in horror.  
  
"Thought you'd seen the last of me huh?"  
  
Daxter squirmed with all his might, scratching at the boy's fists with his claws and hissing murder. But Bryon was not willing to give up just yet. He looked down at Xema, who glared up at him.  
  
"Karma told me to take the brat - but why waste my time when I can just take you Xema?"  
  
"NO ONE is taking her ANYWHERE!" Daxter growled, baring his teeth and biting hard on Bryon's wrist. Yelling in pain, Bryon dropped the ottsel to the ground.  
  
"I'll deal with you LATER rat!" The boy hissed, before spreading his wings and taking off from the ground. Daxter watched helplessly as Bryon took off, heading far north, and away from the beach, and Sandover all together.  
  
"NO!"  
  
"Daxter! What's going on?"  
  
Kryzdal raced along the sand towards the ottsel. The sound of angry yells had not escaped her attention as she was taking her evening stroll, and she had come to investigate. Daxter looked beat-up, and his eyes were filling up with tears as he gazed up at the sky.  
  
"Bryon - he - he took Xema." Daxter choked.  
  
Kryzdal gasped. Her worst nightmare was suddenly becoming a reality. The one person she wanted to keep her as far away from as possible had kidnapped Xema.  
  
"Don't worry Daxter." She whispered, placing a paw on his heaving shoulder. "We'll get her back. You can count on that." 


	7. The Torture

AN: PLEASE, excuse the funny text in this chapter. FF.net has been messing me around for several days now, and looking at all the funny text in places where speech marks should be, I'd say they haven't finished giving me hell just yet. I'll try and fix it up ASAP, but for now you'll have to put up with this crummy looking chapter. I actually like this chapter a lot too, and all dramatic effect is ruined!  
  
Woah, I'm finally updating again! Hey all! I'm back from Collage now! SO hopefully it won't take me as long to update now *HOPEFULLY!* On the bright side, I've already written parts of the next two chapters to follow this one, so at least I've started. I want to thank everyone who reviewed during the time I was gone. *hugs everyone and hands them plushies* You all rock. I HAVE been reading all your reviews, as well as reading all the wonderful new fics that popped up while I was away *jaw drops at the amount of fics in the section* Holy Precursors!!! You guys really DO rock! It's good to see so many Jak and Daxter fans out there!  
  
~ Keysha  
  
The Kryzdal Guardian  
  
Chapter seven: The Torture  
  
"Are you comfy?"  
  
Xema glared up at her captive. Bryon stood above her, glancing down at the girl tied up on the floor - wrists and ankles bonded so tightly, they were close to bleeding. He grinned.  
  
"Go on. You can answer. You have my permission."  
  
Xema responded by kicking him in the ankle.  
  
"Having fun teasing my little sister?" Karma smirked as Bryon hopped about on one foot, clutching his sore ankle with both hands and yelping in pain. "Xema, surely you should know better than to miss-treat your host?" Karma tried to make eye contact with her sibling, but Xema merely turned away and looked off into space.  
  
"Xema!!! WHY do you have to be so HOSTILE?" Bryon moaned, rubbing his slightly swollen ankle. "That is NO way to treat your future husband."  
  
Xema growled under her breath. 'The day I marry you is the day I accept the fact that Karma is related to me!' She mumbled to herself. There was no point in saying it out loud. Arguing with Karma and Bryon was going to get her nowhere - no matter HOW many times she proved them wrong.  
  
"Hey!" Bryon cried with a little yelp of glee. "You didn't answer back!"  
  
Another growl came from Xema.  
  
"Aww! Does this mean you're starting to LIKE me again Xema?" Bryon walked over to the girl and chucked her under the chin.  
  
This time, Xema responded by biting his hand.  
  
"KARMA!" Bryon bellowed, looking for something to mop up the blood spurting out of the bite marks in his hand, "Maybe we should have LEFT her as an ottsel! She would have done less damage as a furball then she does now!"  
  
Karma grinned.  
  
"If I DO remember correctly, YOU seemed to have an unfortunate incident involving an ottsel running down your pants, am I correct?"  
  
Bryon's jaw dropped.  
  
"HOW did you know about THAT?"  
  
"Oh, these things often make there way to me." Karma hummed, while Bryon fumed and blushed a deep red.  
  
Xema, however, could not help but smile.  
  
***  
  
"So - what do we have to do? I mean - where do we even BEGIN looking?"  
  
Jak looked from Daxter to Kryzdal, then back to Daxter. His head was bowed, and he was looking even more mournful - if it was possible - than the day his father passed away. Kryzdal, on the other hand, was padding across the table in the middle of Jak's room, mumbling to herself. Finally, she stopped pacing and looked up at the blond.  
  
"Jak? I need you and Keira to start scouting around. Look anywhere and EVERYWHERE! I'll take Daxter and see if I can get help back at the city."  
  
Jak glanced up.  
  
"Huh? You two buy yourselves? I don't like the sound of that - two defenseless animals wandering about - "  
  
"DEFENSELESS?!?" Kryzdal stammered. "I. AM. NOT. A. HELPLESS. ANIMAL JAK!!!"  
  
"Erm, okay, your NOT! But Daxter on the other hand." Jak thumbed towards the ottsel, who hadn't even seemed to notice that his name had been mentioned. Now that he was the subject of conversation, his mind seemed to be even further away from reality.  
  
"I'LL take care of him!" Kryzdal insisted, smiling at the blond.  
  
Jak didn't answer back. He knew she meant it. That was all he needed to know.  
  
***  
  
"I really admire you sister. you have a lot of guts to look me in the eye and not even show the slightest TWINGE of fear!" Karma knelt down beside Xema, stroking the young girl's hair gently, almost lovingly.  
  
Xema ignored her. She was more focused on the pain in her wrists and ankles. The ropes bonding her were cutting deep into her - but as painful as it was, she blinked away any signs of tears. If Karma even caught a glimpse of her crying, she would have 'won'. Besides, Xema knew Karma only wanted to keep her alive so that she could mentally abuse her. Xema knew that as soon as she broke down - Karma would kill her, at least, that was the NICEST thing Karma could do. She could do MUCH worse.  
  
Xema shuddered as she thought back to the time Karma cut her wing tips off. What if she did it again? What if she went a step further and cut her wings off fully?  
  
Karma began to plait a small amount of Xema's hair, along the back of her head, keeping her attention focused on the girl's face at all times. She didn't look very scared.  
  
"What IS with you and that Ottsel anyway?"  
  
"What?"  
  
Karma smirked. She had her sister's attention, which was a start. She continued to plait Xema's hair, pretending to be unfazed by her sister's startled reaction.  
  
"Well, you seem to have so much affection for such a - bizarre creature. That's to say the least!"  
  
Xema growled.  
  
"He's not really an ottsel."  
  
"Blah, blah, blah. Yes, I KNOW! I've heard this story a hundred times already (AN: and so have the readers of this fic no doubt :p). The point is: he's still an ottsel! Regardless of what he WAS, now he's nothing but a little fleabag with the uncanny ability to talk!"  
  
Xema clenched her fists, trying to stop herself from whipping around and biting Karma.  
  
"It doesn't matter what he LOOKS like Karma. I like him for what he is."  
  
"Like? Or LOVE? Oh, who cares! The point is, well, for a princess, don't you find it -"  
  
She grinned.  
  
"DEMEANING to be in love with a furball?"  
  
Xema whipped around faster than anyone could ever imagine possible of the young girl. Fire burned in her eyes as she looked up at her older sister.  
  
She was going to PAY for that!  
  
***  
  
"Kryzdal?"  
  
"Yes Daxter dear?" The white cat fluttered a few inches off the ground, watching the ottsel crawl his way up the cliff face, trying to look relaxed, although he was clearly exhausted from all the climbing he had endured.  
  
"Two questions." Daxter puffed and he scrambled over another rock. "One: WHY did you tell Jak and Keira to look for Xema when you CLEARLY have an idea where Brian took her?" His hind paw caught on a loose root of an old, twisted tree, and he fell facedown in the dust. He emerged with a furry face full of dirt. "Two: WHERE, in the name of all precursors, are we GOING?"  
  
Kryzdal smiled at the ottsel, and lowered a paw down to brush some of the dirt off of his nose. "It's simple Daxter. I'm taking you to a very special place. I discovered it not long before I had Xema. It's a sacred ground. That's why I sent Jak and Keira off elsewhere. I couldn't let them see it, and therefore, I asked them to keep away without offending them."  
  
Daxter glanced up, his face now free of almost all the dirt.  
  
"What? If it's so sacred, then why are you taking ME there?"  
  
Kryzdal smiled. "Because Daxter, YOU are entitled to enter the grounds."  
  
The ottsel couldn't make out what on earth Kryzdal was on about. He was just about to open his mouth with a protesting remark, when he suddenly realized they had made it to the top of the cliff. And as he followed Kryzdal, she lead him around an abnormally smooth boulder to a small cracked entranceway.  
  
"This cave." She informed Daxter, smiling happily. "Is where I came when I first took this form, many years ago."  
  
Daxter carefully stepped inside the entrance, drawing a rather large breath as he looked around. It was full of large, silvery-blue pools. Pools of pure water, many of which were connected to large waterfalls. "Wow. What a - FUNKY looking place."  
  
Kryzdal laughed. "I thought you'd say something like that Daxter." She grinned, and then, with one quick swipe of her paw, pushed Daxter into one of the deep, clear pools.  
  
***  
  
The ottsel floundered about under the weight of the pure liquid. It was so heavy - and the more he struggled, the more it pulled him down.  
  
"She's trying to KILL me!" He gasped, still trying his best to reach the surface. He just couldn't do it. Every part of his body was limp and heavy, exhausted beyond belief. He reached up one last time, trying to grab something, ANYTHING to save himself.  
  
And then a delicate hand reached into the water and held his wrist tightly. In one fluid motion, Daxter had been pulled out of the shimmering pool and back onto the cold floor of the cave.  
  
Gasping hard for air, Daxter lay on his back, staring up at the roof of the cave --- and one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen.  
  
"W-who are you?" He questioned. Unable to even refer to the woman as 'babe'. She was much older than him, and seemed to have a regal 'light' about her. She wore a long, silk dress, and all around her, pale, snow- white hair flowed. She smiled down at him.  
  
"Really now Daxter. I can't believe you've forgotten about me already!"  
  
Daxter's eyes widened. He knew that voice!  
  
"Kryzdal?" He gaped at the woman before him. "Y - you're you!" He gasped. "You're beautiful!"  
  
Kryzdal gave out a soft, elegant laugh. "You don't look so bad yourself Daxter. I can defiantly see a lot of your father in you!"  
  
"What?" Daxter remarked, sitting up. He glanced over to the pool in which, just minutes before, he had almost drowned in. He gasped as he looked down at his reflection.  
  
It was him! Not the ottsel him, but the BOY him! The Daxter that had disappeared long ago.  
  
He had converted back to his original form.  
  
Kryzdal knelt down beside him and placed an elegant hand on his shoulder.  
  
"It seems the Springs have reversed the curse that the Dark Eco placed on you Daxter." She smiled. "Now, prepare yourself, because you're about to go through a bit of pain."  
  
"P-pain?" Daxter asked, he tried to ask her what the heck she was on about, but suddenly, he felt it: the sharp pain streaming through his body. Like he was on fire.  
  
"Oh my god! I'm dying!" He thought, as his world began to spin. 


	8. The Transformation

Oh geeze, this didn't take as long as I thought it would! The last chapter  
is fixed now! *dances* so hopefully this one WON'T get screwed up! Anyway, a BIG thank you to all who have been reviewing. I admire you all  
for making it through that last chapter without going cross-eyed!  
  
Anyway, here's the next one! I have to tell ya Phoe-Chan. That time you  
talked to me on MSN before REALLY helped. I was in a really depressed stage, and kinda felt really ignored by all my online friends *hugs Leah tightly* Thank you! It's good to know that there was someone there for  
me! Chu rock girl!  
  
Until the next chapter!  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
  
The Kryzdal Guardian.  
Chapter Eight : The Transformation  
  
***  
  
"Wha-what's HAPPENING to me?"  
  
Daxter clutched at his chest, heaving deeply as the pain shot down his spine. He felt Kryzdal place her soft, cooling hand to his forehead. He glanced up as she smiled warmly to him.  
  
"Be still Daxter, it will all be over soon. This should have happened a long time ago."  
  
Daxter wasn't sure what she was talking about, but all of a sudden - he wanted to be an ottsel again. At least he knew it was pain-free to be a furball. The pain scorched his back. His skin prickled and his bones creaked.  
  
And then, in one brief second, there was a burst of terrible pain. His back felt like it had torn apart, and he collapsed on the ground in a cry of agony. Beside him, Kryzdal attended to his wounded back, but smiled as she worked - as if it were a wonderful event.  
  
"Daxter, it's over!" She insisted. "And there was barley any blood!"  
  
"B-blood?" Daxter croaked groggily. The idea of the sticky, red goop made him feel even more faint. As Kryzdal helped the small boy to his feet, he felt as if he had someone gripping hold of his back - almost as if someone had stuck tubes into his shoulder blades.  
  
"What did you do to me Kryzdal?" He gasped. "I've always wanted to be me again, but I didn't want to be experimented on!"  
  
Kryzdal let out a light laugh, her snow-white hair brushing gently on Daxter's cheek as he lent on her for support. "Daxter, I DID return you to your former state - and then nature took its course." She smiled. "Daxter, you're mother, the woman you never really knew, she is one of us. She is part of the same race that Xema and I belong to!"  
  
Daxter gazed up at her, his eyes wide in shock. "You mean?" He gasped.  
  
Kryzdal smiled and nodded. "You're one of us Daxter. Well, PARTLY. Your father was wing-less, but we knew that - sooner or later - you would grow wings too. Like your mother. Like us."  
  
"Wings?" Was all the boy could whisper. He removed Kryzdal's supporting arm from his waist, and with his returning strength, walked over to the shimmering water so as to peer at his reflection. It was a welcoming sight, to see his old face again. Red hair, skinny frame - they were all there - along with a new addition.  
  
"Wings?" Daxter spread his new-feathered features for the first time. Like all the others in Draco's kingdom, they were snow-white - growing from just below his shoulder blades. With great curiosity, Daxter reached out and touched the tips of the feathers. Yes, they were real.  
  
Kryzdal lightly stepped up to the boy, and delicately placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well, what do you say?" She whispered.  
  
Daxter looked up at the queen and smiled. Now that he thought about it, she really was HIS queen as well, seeing as he was one of her people. He bowed his head slightly in respect, then glanced up at her again, determination in his eyes.  
  
"Let's go rescue Xema!" He suggested. Kryzdal smiled.  
  
"Then I suppose we'd better teach you how to fly."  
  
***  
  
"You know, I can't help but feel we're doing something wrong?"  
  
Jak nodded as he gazed out into the distance. This was hopeless. Tracking Xema - with no idea of WHERE they were supposed to be going, was a complete waste of time.  
  
"Maybe, we should try and catch up with Kryzdal and Daxter?" Keira suggested, joining Jak's gaze. "Didn't Kryzdal say they were going back to the city?"  
  
Jak simply nodded again, lost in thought.  
  
"Might as well head back there again and check up with them. Here's hoping they've found more than we have."  
  
***  
  
"Kryzdal? I'm not so sure of this!"  
  
Kryzdal stood at the edge of the cliff, holding Daxter's shaking hand in hers, gently pulling him towards the edge.  
  
"What's not to be sure of? You were BORN to do this Daxter!"  
  
"W-was I? I don't distinctly remember spending my whole life flapping about with a great dirty pair of wings sprouting out my back!"  
  
"You need to calm down before you can fly Daxter! For goodness sake! You're so TENSE!"  
  
"Tense? TENSE? OF COURSE I'M TENSE! You're trying to drag me off the edge of a cliff!"  
  
Kryzdal smiled, almost evilly.  
  
"Actually Daxter, I'm pushing you off."  
  
"W-what's that?"  
  
Daxter felt his feet leave solid ground, and all of a sudden, he was falling.  
  
***  
  
"What on earth is going on? First I hear that strange things have been going on near our sacred springs, and now THIS!"  
  
Draco thrust the parchment right into Jak's face. So close, that the boy couldn't make out what was written on it, the writing was all jumbled.  
  
Keira delicately took the parchment away from Jak's face, reading over it and paling slightly.  
  
"It's from Karma." She whispered to Jak. Draco nodded angrily, his whole face a light shade of red.  
  
"She's threatening me to give up the throne. Xema's her hostage, and, if I'm not mistaken, several kids promised me that nothing would happen to her!"  
  
"Actually, sir." Keira meekly responded. "It was Daxter that promised. Kryzdal backed him up."  
  
Draco rubbed his temples roughly. "Yes. That boy. I always KNEW he'd get Xema into trouble."  
  
"Then why did you let her go?" Jak asked, knowing fully what Draco's response would be. The king smiled slightly.  
  
"Because even if I said 'no', do you THINK that would have stopped her?"  
  
The two smiled.  
  
"You're highness?" A call came from one of the guards at the doorway. "She's here."  
  
Draco nodded. "Yes, send her in."  
  
Jak and Keira turned around, both gasping in unison. A small, fragile woman entered the room. Gracefully walking over to the king's throne. Her sparkling blue eyes never left Draco's gaze as she made her way towards him, her flaming hair swishing lightly as she walked.  
  
"Jak? Does she - "  
  
" - Remind me of Daxter?" Jak nodded. It was uncanny. If it weren't for the fact that she was female, and had far more grace than Daxter could ever hope to have, she COULD have passed off for an older version of his dear friend.  
  
Well, she would have needed some buckteeth to give off the full illusion (AN: *lol*)  
  
"Jewlii?" Draco addressed the woman. She ran over to his side and knelt before him, grasping his hand and placing it against her cheek.  
  
"Master Draco! I heard the news and came as quick as I could!" A tear slowly trickled down the side of her face. "Has - has anything happened?"  
  
Draco shook his head.  
  
"So far, we know nothing Jewlii. What I wanted to know is: What has been happening in our sacred springs? There has been a disturbance up there. If I'm not correct, it is your duty to maintain the security up there."  
  
She smiled, her eyes full of tears.  
  
"I asked them to abandon their posts and go in search of Xema. I'm sorry I disobeyed you Master Draco - I should have asked you first."  
  
Draco shook his head. "You did the right thing Jewlii." He placed a hand on her shoulder, and helped her up, turning the slim figure around so that she could face Jak and Keira. Jak's mouth was still gaping open, and it wasn't until Draco gave a rather stern look, did he snap it shut.  
  
"Jewlii? I'd like you to meet Jak and Keira. They're very close friends of the family."  
  
Now, it was Jewlii's turn to gape at the two. 'W-wingless children?" Her voice was filled with sorrow, and Jak couldn't help but feel that it was HIM that was making her feel depressed. She kept glancing at him, as if he painfully reminded her of someone.  
  
"Jewlii here is the godmother to my two daughters." Draco tried to keep his voice stern. "She, uh, has been acting in Kryzdal's place, since she left us."  
  
"Xema's pet?" Keira asked.  
  
"No, their mother."  
  
"Oh."  
  
The deathly silence in the room, was gleefully interrupted, to everyone's joy, by the rustling sound as several guards poured into the room.  
  
"You're Highness!" One of the guards practically yelled. "We've found it! We've found Karma's hide-out!"  
  
Draco nodded, looking towards Jewlii and the two Sandover kids.  
  
"Come with me." He insisted.  
  
The three were very happy to oblige.  
  
***  
  
"Daxter? If you scream one more time, and I know it's not very regal of me, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to slap you across the jaw!"  
  
Daxter promptly shut his mouth. It wasn't so bad. He was actually starting to get very used to soaring through the air. It was just, for some reason, it felt good to keep screaming. It made him feel aware that he was indeed still alive.  
  
Kryzdal? My wings are tired." There was a pause. "I never thought I'd hear myself say THAT!"  
  
Kryzdal gave him yet another of her warm, friendly smiles.  
  
"I'm not surprised. You're not used to flying, are you?"  
  
"Uh gee, asides the fact that I've never flown on my own in my entire LIFE, nope, I'm not very used to it!"  
  
"Well, technically, you're not flying by yourself!"  
  
Daxter glanced down his arm, blushing slightly. He was gripping hold of Kryzdal's hand. So tightly, in fact, that her hand was starting to turn purple. And yet, she wasn't complaining.  
  
"Kryzdal, I can't help but think you're treating me like I was your own son."  
  
Kryzdal's regal exterior broke slightly, as her face flushed. She had always wanted a son.  
  
"I'm making ends meet. Considering your mother was always looking after my children while I was not around."  
  
Daxter glanced at her, a hopeful look on his face.  
  
"Kryzdal? Is - is my mother still alive?"  
  
She smiled.  
  
"Very much so Daxter. In fact, I have a feeling it won't be long until you meet her. She is most likely making her way to karma's hideout. I'm sure the two of you will be re-united very soon.  
  
Daxter's moment of relief only lasted a few seconds, before his face grew very determined, and the look in his eyes very serious.  
  
"But FIRST we've gotta rescue Xema!" He felt a burst of new energy course through his body, and his wings no longer hurt from exhaustion.  
  
Kryzdal smiled, as she rubbed her sore hand. Ahead of her, Daxter was soaring higher than she ever imagined the boy would dare.  
  
And he was doing it by himself. 


	9. The Bond

Hey all! I've done it! I've done another chapter! *lies down to die* I'm really in the mood for typing chapters, but I get tired of doing it so quickly ( I have little motivation as a writer - More for an artist!).  
  
Anyhow, here's the next part in the story. Sorry to keep you all waiting! We're getting close to the end now. Probably up to 12 chapters for this one - same as the last fic. So don't forget to Review after you've read this! I need the reviews to keep me going you know ;)  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
  
The Kryzdal Guardian  
  
Chapter Nine: The Bond  
  
***  
  
"Xemie? You okay?"  
  
Xema's eyes slowly fluttered open. The bonds on her wrists and ankles had been undone, and she now lay in Daxter's arms, snuggled against his chest.  
  
"Ye-Yeah, I'm fine Dax." She sighed. "When did you get here?"  
  
A little while ago, while you were still asleep. Don't worry, we took care of Karma."  
  
"What did you do to her?"  
  
Daxter grinned. "We boiled her alive.  
  
Xema smiled and closed her eyes. "Good, good." She let out a rather heavy sigh. "It's a shame - this is only a dream."  
  
"What?" Daxter gasped. "How can you say that?"  
  
"Daxter? You're a giant ottsel!"  
  
***  
  
"AGH!"  
  
Xema woke up in a cold sweat. It was night; she could see the silvered moonlight pouring through the little window in the room. Mocking her almost, it was free, and she was caged up like a bird.  
  
"That - was too weird!" Xema gasped heavily as she vividly recalled the image of her, as a humanoid, being cradled by a giant ottsel.  
  
She glanced down at her wrists. The cuts were getting deeper. She tried to lie back down, but had trouble doing so without moving her bonds, which seemed to saw their way deeper into her wounds.  
  
No longer under the watchful eye of her sister, Xema let the tears come, flowing down her face - at first only a small trickle, but soon becoming raging rivers caressing her cheeks.  
  
"Daxter." She whispered to no one but her self. "I miss you."  
  
***  
  
"Is everything okay?"  
  
Kryzdal placed a hand on the boy's shaking shoulder. It was late at night, and the two had set up camp, not far from their intended destination.  
  
Try as he might, Daxter could not sleep. Knowing how close he was to Xema, knowing that every moment they hung around was more time that Karma could hurt her, it tortured him.  
  
And now, his heart began to hurt.  
  
He places a hand to his chest. "I can't sleep. It hurts - here."  
  
Kryzdal nodded.  
  
"It happens. It's in our genes, to share the pain of those we love."  
  
"Has she been hurt?" Daxter asked, whipping around to face Kryzdal. "She's not - " He paused, dreading to say it "Dead?"  
  
"If she's dead, you would be able to tell. And so would I." Kryzdal put a hand on top of her heart. "I'm her mother, like you, I care for her. It would feel - like she is no longer with us - if she died. Tell me, do you feel that?"  
  
Daxter just shook his head, trying to force back the tears that were fighting to take over his already blurry vision.  
  
"She's not hurt - just - sad."  
  
"She misses you."  
  
Daxter looked up, a determined look in his eye.  
  
"She NEEDS me!"  
  
***  
  
A little further from the campsite of Kryzdal and Daxter, another group were also trying to sleep. Draco, Jewlii, Jak and Keira, along with a large number of Palace guards, were resting for the night, wings aching beyond imagination.  
  
Keira lay in Jak's arms, resting her head against his chest and gazing out over the starry sky.  
  
"Do you think she's okay?" Jak asked, only half asleep. Keira shrugged.  
  
"There's no real way to tell. I hope so." She sighed. "I feel like, I'm so incredibly useless! I just KNOW Daxter and Kryzdal are almost at Karma's hideout! They might actually already be THERE!"  
  
Jak nodded.  
  
It was usually HIM that was the hero. The one helping others - this time, it seemed Daxter had taken over the role. It wasn't the fact that he wasn't GRATEFUL that he didn't have to do all the work. However, he did feel something.  
  
Left out.  
  
He felt the weight on his chest move, and found Keira gazing into his eyes.  
  
Okay, so maybe being left out wasn't so bad AFTER all!  
  
***  
  
Karma looked down at the small body curled up on the floor.  
  
"Wake UP!"  
  
There was no response. Karma, loosing her temper, kicked Xema hard, but still there was no response.  
  
"Oh come now Xema! I KNOW you're not dead! I can see you're still BREATHING!"  
  
Karma smacked Xema's head. There was hardly a moan coming from the weak body. The older woman just sighed.  
  
"Fine! Die there! See if I really care! You know fully well that I WON'T!"  
  
There was a loud bang as Karma slammed the door.  
  
And then the room grew cold and silent.  
  
***  
  
"This is it!"  
  
Daxter gazed around. From the air, the cave they were now standing before looked a lot like any old cave. However, now that he had his feet fully planted on the ground, he could see that it was anything BUT ordinary. The entranceway, for one thing, had a huge golden door, covered with Precursor engravings. The bush all around the cave's mouth seemed to be growing a range of different plants and fruits.  
  
"Geeze, this place looks like some kind of holiday home." Daxter gaped. Kryzdal smiled at his shocked expression.  
  
"Actually, Daxter, it is. This is the Royal family used to come and stay when they wanted to get away from the city. It hasn't been used for YEARS though, considering hardly anyone could leave the city while it was under that curse." She smiled. "I never really thanked you for breaking it Daxter."  
  
He flushed, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "I-it wasn't really me who did it. It's Xema you've got to thank." He turned away from Kryzdal, gazing up at the large door. "So, uh, how do we get in?"  
  
Kryzdal walked up to the large door, and placed the palm of her hand onto one of the markings. The door glowed, and then slowly evaporated into thin air. Daxter stood in shock and awe.  
  
"You know - that'd make a great party trick!"  
  
"It only opens to members of the royal family." She turned and smiled at Daxter. "But we are more than welcome to invite non-royals inside."  
  
Daxter stepped forward, through the area that was once a giant door.  
  
"Where is she?" He asked, not really Kryzdal, but almost the entire cave. The inside was nothing like a musty, dirty old cave one would expect. It was decorated and furnished, much like the palace where Xema lived. However, a lot of the furnishings seemed a lot older. Probably well before Kryzdal and Xema's time - Daxter thought.  
  
I suspect Karma would be keeping her downstairs, I doubt she'd keep her in one of the comfortable rooms - she'll probably be in the cellar." Kryzdal pointed towards a stairwell. "Go find her Daxter. I'll stay here until the others arrive."  
  
"Others?" Daxter echoed.  
  
"Draco is coming, along with your two friends. They have guards with them as well."  
  
"H-how can you tell?" Daxter shook his head, then noticed Kryzdal point to her heart. He grinned.  
  
"I should have known."  
  
***  
  
"Kryzdal!"  
  
Jewlii rushed up to the open entrance, embracing the female figure that stood in the doorway. Jak and Keira just gaped at the woman, along with Draco.  
  
"K-Kryzdal?" He whispered, hardly believing his eyes. He joined Jewlii at the top of the stairs, warmly embracing his wife. All around Jak and Keira, the guards bowed down before their ruler and his queen.  
  
"I, I thought she was dead!" Keira stammered. Jak raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Her mother? Her pet? They both have the same name as Xema's mum."  
  
Keira gaped. "But it couldn't be! That's, impossiable!"  
  
"Really?" Jak grinned. "Then explain to me why Daxter's only two feet tall and covered in fur?" His face paled. "Oh geeze, Dax! Where is he?"  
  
Kryzdal pulled away from Draco slightly, and smiled at the blonde.  
  
"He's gone to find Xema. Do not worry Jak, he'll be fine." She looked at Draco. "Let's go find our other daughter. It's been a long time since I've seen her, and already I want to give her a stern telling off!"  
  
Draco smiled.  
  
"Lead the way my dear."  
  
Jak and Keira had no choice but to follow them.  
  
"I just hope Dax is okay." Jak whispered to Keira, as they were swept away in the sea of Palace guards.  
  
***  
  
Daxter had completely lost his way through the labyrinth of corridors. "Some CELLAR" He mumbled to himself as he rushed around. He prayed that he didn't run into Karma along the way. Or even worse! He gulped at the thought of running into Bryon. At least, when he was an ottsel, he had the advantage of using his miniscule height against him. Now that he was humanoid again, he was pretty sure it would be Bryon with the upper hand.  
  
Suddenly, he felt his heart jolt as he ran past a particular door. Very old and worn, and it looked like it had hardly been touched for quite a while. Daxter wanted to continue on, but the tugging on his heartstrings told him he HAD to look inside. Sighing heavily, he took the twisted door handle into his palm, and pulled.  
  
"Oh geeze!"  
  
Xema was huddled in a impaired position on the floor. She wasn't moving, and Daxter couldn't even make out if she was breathing or not.  
  
"Xema!" He rushed to her side, noticing the tight bonds on her wrists and ankles. "Boy, kinda makes me wish I still had my ottsel teeth!" He mumbled, as he put all his effort into untying the bonds. Speaking of his teeth, he HAD noticed that his overbite was finally gone. Maybe it was all that time he had spent as an ottsel, or maybe he had grown out of them? Either way, he didn't really care.  
  
Finally breaking the last bit of rope, Daxter carefully examined the cuts on her wrists. They were deep, but he supposed Samos could easily heal them with his green eco. Daxter turned his attention to the girl, who lay almost lifelessly in his arms.  
  
"Xema? PLEASE, don't die on me!"  
  
There was a small sigh from the figure in his arms, and Xema groaned as she began to open her eyes. 


	10. The Jealous

Hey again! Finally updated, much to my relief! I'm trying my best not to take too long, but I'm getting a lot busier at home, plus I may have to go to London at the end of this week - meaning pretty much zero internet time for moi. That'll be for a week or two.  
  
Anyway, thank you again for all the wonderful reviews! Shark, I couldn't help but laugh at your one! :D Thanks! Phoe-chan, I know that Dax's overbite is one of his personal traits, but I have a reason for it - which I'll hopefully remember to put in this fic! (I forget these things VERY quickly!)  
  
I'm gonna try and give Keira and Jak a little more of the fic this time around, I leave them out so much, I start to feel cruel every time I type something, although in honesty, this IS a Daxter fic ;)  
  
Anyway, enjoy!  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
  
The Kryzdal Guardian  
Chapter Ten: The Jealous  
  
***  
  
Still woozy, Xema slowly opened her eyes. The bonds around her wrists and ankles had been undone, and she was now clutched tightly in someone's arms. As her vision started to focus, she began to trace the figures features: male, somewhat her age, with fiery red hair and blue eyes. He looked down at Xema and smiled, sending a warm, tingling sensation through her body. He was simply adorable in everyway. But WHO was he? Xema caught a glimpse of the feathered wings on his back. They looked so perfect and 'tender' - as if they had hardly ever been used.  
  
"Who are you?" She whispered to the figure, still dizzy from the bump on her head. The smile on the boy's face began to fade.  
  
'She doesn't know who I am?' Daxter questioned himself. 'Of COURSE she doesn't! She's never seen you in your true form before!'  
  
"It's me Xemie!" He whispered to her, running his fingers through her hair. Xema squinted as she looked up at the boy.  
  
"Daxter?" She asked, staring into his deep, blue eyes. He nodded, smiling again and pulling her in tighter, crying onto her shoulder.  
  
"Dax. You're - you're - you!" Xema smiled at her boyfriend. He was everything she had imagined him to be in his true form - except for one minor detail.  
  
"Daxter? You never told me you had wings!"  
  
***  
  
"MOTHER! Go AWAY! You're dead!!!" Karma screamed at the figure before her. Kryzdal stood tall, simply looking her daughter in the eye and taking her abuse. However, beside her, Jewlii did not approve of her Goddaughter's manners.  
  
"Karma! You have no right to talk to your mother that way! After all she's been through!" Jewlii clenched her fists into tight balls as Karma turned her attention onto the fiery-headed woman.  
  
"YOU think you have a right to tell ME what to do?" The princess laughed wickedly, before glaring at her godmother violently. "YOU don't even deserve to walk in our presence! You are a disgrace! I KNOW you gave birth to a wingless child! You're child has tainted blood! How can you even SUGGEST that I'm in the wrong when you are a traitor to our PEOPLE!"  
  
Jewlii's heart leapt into her throat as her blood boiled.  
  
"Leave my boy out of this!" She whispered. There was a tingling sensation on her shoulder, and she realized Kryzdal's delicate hand was now resting there, comforting her. Beside Kryzdal, Draco was boiling with rage, incredibly dishonored by the fact that his own flesh and blood was tearing at Jewlii with such hatred.  
  
"Karma, Jewlii's son has nothing to do with this." Kryzdal announced.  
  
"Yes he DOES!" Karma cried, tears appearing in her eyes. It had been years since she had cried. It was almost uncomfortable for Karma - feeling so vulnerable and weak as her eyes became moist and her vision blurred. "Yes! He has EVERYTHING to do with this! It's because of HIM that this whole thing started! He encouraged Xema to break the curse! He was the whole reason this started! And NOW he's helped her escape from here! Bryon can't find her anywhere!"  
  
In the background, Jak and Keira looked at each other, hardly believing what they were hearing.  
  
"Her son is Daxter?" Jak gasped. Keira simply nodded.  
  
"I guess so. It fits, I mean, she DOES look a lot like him - or rather, he does look a lot like her."  
  
"DID look a lot like her." Jak corrected, thinking about his fuzzy friend. Keira sighed.  
  
"What?" Jewlii whipped around to face Kryzdal. "He's here? My son is HERE?"  
  
Kryzdal nodded. "Yes Jewlii. Your son is here."  
  
Jewlii turned to the crying girl behind her, delicately stepping up to Karma and taking her shaking hand into hers.  
  
"Please!" She begged, brushing away the tears from Karma's cheeks with her delicate hand. "PLEASE, take me to my son."  
  
"Why SHOULD I?" Karma sneered, snapping her wet face away from Jewlii's hand. She was about to shove Jewlii away, when she felt the strong hand of her father grasp her shoulder.  
  
"I SUGGEST you do as Jewlii requests." Draco growled.  
  
***  
  
"It's --- a LONG story."  
  
"I'm listening." Xema insisted. Confused beyond anything she had ever imagined. Daxter shook his head rapidly.  
  
"We don't have time Xemie! Byron almost caught me as I came looking for you!" He placed a hand delicately on her cut wrists, and she winced slightly. "Easy Xema, you've been through a lot!"  
  
"So have YOU!" Xema glanced at the wings protruding from Daxter's torn shirt. The bases of them were slightly coated in thin wisps of dried blood. "Something tells me those were rather painful.  
  
Daxter blushed slightly. "I think it was more painful for your mother - when she was teaching me how to fly."  
  
Xema laughed for a second, clearly unaware of what he had just said. Then she gasped.  
  
"My - my MOTHER?"  
  
Daxter pulled her in for another hug. "Uh, yeah. You know your little pet Kryzdal? Well, here's a story that WON'T take that long to explain."  
  
***  
  
Xema listened intensely to Daxter's story, eyes widening beyond all reason.  
  
"Are you kidding me?"  
  
Daxter grinned.  
  
"Look, I know I excel when it comes to joking around, but I would NEVER joke about something this serious Xema." He pulled her in for a quick kiss to the lips, and then pulled away, grinning from ear to ear. "I never thought I'd be able to kiss you as - well - as myself."  
  
Xema smiled. "I'm glad you can."  
  
"You mean you're not, uh, disappointed?"  
  
Xema shrugged. "You kiss exactly the same was that you did as an ottsel."  
  
"Er - I guess I'll take that as a compliment."  
  
Xema grinned as she gazed around. Daxter had taken her outside, and the fresh air was doing her good, especially when it caught the tips of her wings, inviting her to lift off of the ground.  
  
"Of all times I really feel like flying - ." Xema shook her head at the thought, but Daxter seemed enthralled at the idea.  
  
"Do you want to - fly together?" He blushed at the idea, but Xema simply smiled.  
  
"You don't mind if I do some flips?"  
  
"Now - You're pushing it!" He paled slightly, but smiled as she laughed, and took his hands leading him into the air.  
  
"I'm sure we'll find the others soon - let's put those new wings of yours to a REAL test Daxter!"  
  
"Remind me AGAIN why I rescued you?" Daxter whimpered as he took off from the ground.  
  
***  
  
"Come on Jak, you must have SOME idea where Daxter's gone too?"  
  
"I told you before Keira, The day I understand the workings of Daxter's mind is the day Ottsels fly! I have no idea where they are!"  
  
Jak rubbed his temples in frustration. Trust Daxter to end up giving him another headache. Even when the ottsel WASN'T around, he usually grew a migraine having to deal with the trouble he left behind.  
  
In this case, Daxter had gone to find Xema, and now they could not find the girl OR the ottsel.  
  
"He has a thing about hiding when things start to look bad." Keira suggested, looking through a crack in the wall. Too small for a humanoid to fit through, but perfect for an animal, especially an ottsel, to hide in. "Maybe we should see if he's found a place to cower?"  
  
Behind them, Kryzdal approached, giving off a small, airy laugh.  
  
"Well, he certainly wouldn't be hiding in a place that small!"  
  
She received a series of strange glances from both Jak and Keira.  
  
"Are we talking about the same Daxter?" Jak questioned. Kryzdal shook her head.  
  
"Apparently not, for you see, I was not the only one to return to my true form in the sacred springs." She smiled "Rumor has it, that the springs contain a liquid version of the legendary gold eco. It has some - shall we say - amazing effects when it comes to eco contamination - even Dark eco."  
  
Neither Jak nor Keira spoke for about a minute. They were too busy gaping at Kryzdal, trying desperately to take in what she had said. Finally, Jak closed his mouth, realizing how rude he was to just stare at Kryzdal like she was insane or something.  
  
"Are you telling me, that Daxter's not trapped in an ottsel body any more?"  
  
Kryzdal nodded.  
  
"He's back to his original form?"  
  
Again, Kryzdal nodded.  
  
"Heaven help us!" Keira laughed.  
  
***  
  
"Is your stomach still intact?" Xema giggled, leaning her head onto Daxter's shoulder. He sighed, and rested his head atop hers.  
  
"Yeah, it's still where it should be. You know, flying isn't so bad when you're doing it yourself, it's kinda - "  
  
"Fun?"  
  
"Yeah. Man, Jak's gonna be SO jealous when he finds out I can fly! He's envied you ever since the day we all met!"  
  
Xema wrinkled her nose and stifled a laugh.  
  
"That boy is in WAY over his head!"  
  
"Yeah, I mean, it's not enough that he has the uncanny ability to channel eco, but he ALSO wants to fly!" Daxter stretched out over the thick tree branch both her and Xema were resting on, gazing out over the city.  
  
"We really should be getting back." Xema insisted, watching the sun fade. "Everyone will be worried about us."  
  
"No, they'll be worried about YOU!" Daxter insisted, pulling her in for another quick kiss. "Just five more minutes? I like it here!"  
  
But Xema got to her feet and pulled him up by the wrist.  
  
"We can spend all the time we want together when we get home."  
  
"Not if your parents having anything to do with it!" Daxter took her hand firmly into his, lacing their fingers together. There was NO way he was letting go of her again.  
  
Little did he know that these actions only angered the figure that watched them from the higher scrub of the tree.  
  
This time, that boy was going to PAY for what he had done!  
  
And this time, Daxter had no advantage! 


	11. The Death

Wow. Seems like a few centuries since my last update! And look at this! While I'm heading towards 100 reviews (please, oh please! I'd LOVE to get 100!), the Jak and Daxter section is EVER so close to getting 100 as well! YES! We rock! Our little community at FF.net ROCK!!  
  
*throws confetti about and sets up a party for everyone* Chu're all invited of course! Everyone who's posted fics or just reviewed. You've all helped!  
  
I had a great time in England! Meet one of my online buddies and bought a ton of manga *everyone rolls their eyes and sighs* WHAT?? Well, that's the MAIN reason it took so long to update. I didn't want to take my laptop, and when I GOT there, I was constantly banging my head on my Nan's coffee table, mumbling what an idiot I was.  
  
Anyhow, here's chapter 11. Second to last chapter! Yes, I'm at the end of my rope! One more chappie to go! Eh! Thank god! My hands are KILLING me from all this typing I've done!  
  
Enjoy my little review bunnies! *Hint, hint*  
  
~ Keysha  
  
***  
  
The Kryzdal Guardian Chapter Eleven: The Death  
  
***  
  
Ears pricking at the faintest sound, Daxter glanced up from his resting spot on Xema's shoulder.  
  
Nothing.  
  
'You're getting REALLY paranoid you know?' There was that nagging voice at the back of his head. 'Are you scared Daxter? You don't have your improved senses any more! You can't hear someone over a mile away like you used too!'  
  
'Shut up!' He grimaced. The voice was right though. He was starting to feel rather vulnerable, back in his old, clumsy body. Was he actually UPSET that he'd changed back?  
  
"Dax?" He looked down onto two large, sea-blue eyes. "What's wrong?"  
  
He sighed, and shook his head, pressing an affectionate kiss to her temple. "Nothing's wrong Xemie! Nothing at all!"  
  
And then he felt the blade playfully slide across his throat.  
  
***  
  
"Did you hear something?"  
  
Jak nodded. The search group had once again split up, searching for the two missing kids. That is, save Kryzdal, who had accompanied a sniveling Karma back to the palace. Jak had never seen a sight in his life. How someone, as evil and cold hearted as Karma, could be so emotional.  
  
I guess even the bad guys can have a heart.  
  
However, no one had any idea where Bryon was. When they questioned Karma, they only received a series of tears and a muffled 'I don't know'.  
  
And now, there were sounds coming from an outcrop of rocks, leading towards a ledge, over-viewing the White City.  
  
Jak cringed as another crash sound came from that direction. "Please, don't be - "  
  
A shriek. Jak and Keira shot each other a horrified glance. No doubt about it: THAT was Xema.  
  
"We're coming!" Keira yelled as loud as she could, taking off behind Jak, who was already crashing his way through the foliage.  
  
***  
  
Xema glared at the boy before her, crouched low so that she could spring at him should he move. Behind her, Daxter shakily got to his feet. Bryon had tried to slit the poor boy's throat, but, because a certain high-pitched scream from Xema (face it, us girls rock at making high-pitched screams that break glass!), he completely missed target, only tearing the collar of the boy's shirt, not even drawing a single drop of blood. In rage, Bryon had tossed the boy aside, and now Xema stood in front of him, protecting him at all costs.  
  
"Xema? - MOVE!"  
  
She glared. "No!"  
  
"I'm only going to say this one more time - "  
  
"And my reply is going to be the same. N.O.!!!"  
  
He shot her dagger looks. Why was she being so stubborn?  
  
"WHY are you protecting this little weakling? What good is a man if he can't protect you?"  
  
"Who says I need someone to protect ME?!?" Xema flared. "I only want to be with someone I can care for, and trust me Bryon, I DON'T care for you. And with the attitude that you possess, I don't know how anyone else ever could!"  
  
He was speechless. Beside her, Daxter stood up, placing a shaking hand on her shoulder.  
  
"I don't need anyone to take care of me - " He whispered in her ear, so as Bryon could not hear him. " - I just need someone to love me."  
  
She smiled slightly. "And I do Dax. I really do."  
  
"SHUT UP!!!" Bryon growled. "Stop whispering around me!" He flipped the blade in his hand, pointing it towards the duo.  
  
"I hate you. You little, wimpy, skinny freak!"  
  
"And I hate you ya over-the-top drama drag-queen!"  
  
An eyebrow twitched, a snarl curled into a roaring bellow, and Bryon charged at Daxter, still behind Xema, screaming bloody rage.  
  
And it was at that moment, that another figure rammed into him, throwing Bryon towards the cliff.  
  
Xema and Daxter glanced up, a huge look of relief on their faces.  
  
"Jak!" Xema whispered happily.  
  
The blonde stood above the hunched over figure of Bryon. His body was swirling with the electric current of blue eco. He grinned, but rubbed his arm, thinking of the bruising he would get. Ramming into Bryon was like ramming into a brick wall.  
  
"Yeah! Go Jak! I knew you'd come through for us buddy!  
  
Jak wanted to turn around and grin at his pal. Heck, he wanted to see Daxter's old face again. But Bryon put a stop to that, taking a swipe at the boy, his blade narrowly missing his chest. Jak backed away, loosing his balance on his left foot. He was on the edge of the cliff!  
  
"Jak!" A chorus of two girls and one boy shrieked. Jak's eyes widened, and his arms spread out, as he tried to keep his balance.  
  
Bryon grinned. "It ends here Blondie."  
  
"Shut up Bryon!" Xema pounced on the boy, grabbing him around the neck in a headlock. It wasn't a very good one, the boy had a lot of width too him, but she did her best. Bryon swung her left and right, trying to knock her off his shoulders.  
  
And in doing so, bashed into Jak. All three of them went tumbling off the side of the cliff, down through the endless sea of trees below.  
  
"JAK!" Keira cried out, reaching a helpless arm towards the end of the cliff. It was no good; she was too far away to help at all. She raced to the edge and peeked over, hoping for a sign of life. She only saw a sea of green - trees spreading for miles around. A few cracked branches and a small hole in the canopy outlined the only indication of where the group had gone.  
  
"Daxter! We have to get down there!" Keira waited for Daxter to respond, but when she received no reply, whipped around to find that she was the only one left on the cliff's edge.  
  
Daxter was also gone.  
  
***  
  
Flapping her wings lightly, Xema's feet touched the ground, landing hardly a step away from the cold body of Bryon. He lay slumped on one side, cuts and bruises all over his body, and a deep gash down his cheek.  
  
'Why didn't he fly?' Xema pondered, stepping gracefully around him. And that's when she saw it.  
  
The deep, bloody gash on his skull, Bryon had probably been knocked unconscious as he fell down with Jak and Xema. The girl's body shook as she reached down, placing a quivering hand to the side of the boy's throat. She gave a startled little cry.  
  
There was no pulse. Bryon was dead.  
  
***  
  
Jak peeked open one eye. He was alive. Scratched badly from the sharp twigs and branches clawing to him as he fell, but still - alive.  
  
Noticing he was dangling from the ground by about a foot, he suspected his collar had been caught on a branch. 'Lucky save' he thought, reaching up to untangle himself. 'Funny, this branch feels like a hand --- '  
  
"Well, looks like *I* finally get to save your sorry butt for a change!"  
  
Jak whipped around to face Daxter, who was grinning from ear to ear. The look on Jak's face was positively the most shocked the boy had ever looked in his life.  
  
"DAX?!?! But how did you? - " His question was cut short by the sound of flapping. " - Are those WINGS?"  
  
The red-haired grinned. "Took ya long enough to notice, huh?" The smaller boy lowered Jak to the ground, but continued his hovering, enjoying his best friend's shocked expression all the more.  
  
"Damit Daxter!" Jak laughed, punching the hovering boy lightly in the shoulder. "What did you fall into THIS time?"  
  
The smaller boy laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well - pushed is more like it!"  
  
Jak grimaced - thinking back on how it was technically HIM who had knocked Daxter into the Dark Eco. "But - HOW?" His response was another sheepish grin, and a shrug.  
  
"Dunno. Maybe Kryzdal can answer that!" Then his grin wore away. "Xema flew down where Bryon fell! Where IS she?"  
  
"Right here." Came the shaky reply, as Xema stepped into the clearing Jak and Daxter were in. Jak gave her a sympathetic look, while Daxter dropped from his hovered position, and ran over to hug the girl.  
  
"Baby, are you alright?" Daxter cringed as the girl sniffled slightly, rubbing away her tears. "Did he hurt you? Did that Bryon even TOUCH you?" His voice shook with rage.  
  
There was a small gasp, and her head shook slowly. "No Daxter, he didn't. And he never will either. Bryon is dead."  
  
There was an exchange of shocked expressions, before silence was followed, three heads bowed.  
  
Bryon was never a good person, but everyone needs some respect.  
  
Even when they're dead.  
  
***  
  
The trip back to the palace was not a fun one. For one thing, Keira was constantly clinging to Jak's arm, fully relived that he was alive and healthy (if sporting a deep scratch or two) and this was making it extremely hard for the blonde to walk. Deciding that it was best not to leave the two wandering by themselves, Daxter and Xema stuck to walking on foot as well. They would have tried carrying Jak and Keira back to the palace as they flew, but neither of them could really carry Jak (Daxter had struggled quite a bit to keep hold of him as he had lowered him down the cliff from the fall - he had pretty much sprained the muscles of his wings doing that.)  
  
"Jak, would you CUT that out!" The poor boy cried, whipping around to find Jak with a cheesy grin on his face, and another feather in his hand. That had to be at least the tenth one the boy had pulled out in the last hour.  
  
"Sorry Dax, but it's just so weird! You having these - these THINGS on your back!"  
  
Daxter glared at his best friend, before walking over to him and hovering slightly so they were eye to eye. He patted the blonde on the head, like one would a little kid.  
  
"They're called WINGS Jak! Try and add it to your vocabulary! You might need it some day!"  
  
There was a whack as Jak's hand connected with something.  
  
And then Daxter was not hovering in the air anymore.  
  
***  
  
Xema clung to Daxter's arm as they entered the gateway to the palace. It was her old home, and her birthplace. It was also her mother's birthplace. Beside her, Daxter seemed about as happy and as nervous as she was. He was also finally going to meet his mother. He had only been with her once - the day he was born - and he could not remember a single moment of then. He took Xema's hand into his and squeezed it tight.  
  
"What if she doesn't LIKE me?"  
  
There was a small smile erupting from Xema's face, she turned the boy around to face her, and kissed him lightly on the lips.  
  
"If she has any sense, she'll LOVE you Daxter. Just as much as I do." She tapped him on the nose, like she used to when he was in his ottsel form. "Besides, Jewlii has been my godmother since the day I was born. She's a lovely woman, and a close friend. I don't think it's even possible for her to hate a single living being on this planet!  
  
Daxter smiled ever so slightly. "I guess that means I take after my father more than I do her."  
  
"Maybe, but you have her sweet smile."  
  
"Xema?"  
  
The girl turned and gasped. Before her, was Kryzdal, her crystal blue eyes sparkling with delight, silver hair dancing in the breeze.  
  
"Mother!" There was a cry of joy as the girl leapt into her mother's arms, hugging her dearly. Kryzdal let out an airy sigh, and rested her head on top of her daughter's, happy to finally be reunited.  
  
"They're such a wonderful couple aren't they? Mother and daughter?"  
  
Daxter nodded, then felt a small, slightly shaky hand slide onto his shoulder. "You remind me of your father Daxter."  
  
He spun around, meeting a pair of azure-blue eyes, identical to his own. Daxter gasped as the woman placed a delicate hand to his face, stroking his cheek. Those blue eyes of hers were filling with tears of joy.  
  
"I never thought I'd - I'd actually get to see my son again. Let alone touch him."  
  
"Mum? - " Was all the boy could stammer, before he was pulled into the longest hug he had ever experienced in his life.  
  
Tears of joy ran down his face as he hugged her. At last, he finally had his mother. The woman he was convinced never existed, the woman he had spent much of his childhood wishing he could see, just this once.  
  
Xema peeked open an eye, glancing in Jewlii and Daxter's direction. They seemed so happy together, pressed into a loving hug that only a mother and her son could ever share. She sighed with happiness as she clung to her own mother.  
  
At last, things were starting to look positive. 


End file.
